Anon Snow Helmets with WaveCel Infringe Smith’s and Koroyd’s Patents
Portland, Oregon (July 15, 2021) – Announced today, Smith and Koroyd have jointly filed a patent infringement action against Burton in the United States District Court for the District of Utah accusing Burton of infringing US Patent No.10,736, 373 (jointly owned by Smith & Koroyd) by selling and importing Anon-branded Logan and Merak snow helmets that incorporate WaveCel® technology. According to the lawsuit, Burton was informed of Smith’s and Koroyd’s patent rights, and was asked to respect those rights by not making or selling the accused Anon-branded Wavecel® helmets. Burton moved forward with the launch of the Anon helmets, leaving Smith and Koroyd no choice but to pursue the federal court action to protect their intellectual property rights. A second lawsuit brought by Koroyd against Burton in Germany also alleges IP violations based on WaveCel® helmets.
As market leader in protective eyewear and multisport headwear for over 56 years, Smith values its commitment to creating reliable, durable and trusted gear for snowsports, cycling and outdoor endeavors. Since 2013, Smith has partnered with Koroyd – creators of the iconic green, open cell technology utilizing welded tubes that crumple instantly on impact– within its helmets to continue the legacy of innovation and design while providing consumers advanced impact protection and superior performance. Together, Smith and Koroyd have invested almost a decade of time and resources into research and development to integrate Koroyd material into Smith products under a unique, patented method.
Koroyd is deeply committed to providing advance protective solutions to reduce the risk of injury to all its users. Koroyd and Smith have proudly partnered to provide technology solutions across sport disciplines born out of Koroyd’s R&D efforts. The innovation pipeline is fueled by each iteration of their released technologies and ensure they can collectively and consistently offer superior impact protection solutions that absorb more energy, while being lightweight and breathable. Smith and Koroyd believe when intellectual property rights are flagrantly disregarded it creates confusion in the market, limits consumer choices, and threatens future advancements for all.
“Our business is structured in such a way to inspire transformation and innovation throughout our entire group,” said John Lloyd, Founder and Managing Director of Koroyd. “Through our long-term R&D investments we have consistently delivered unique safety solutions which offer a significant performance advantage compared to legacy and emerging products, and have become the trusted technology partner to the leading brands in a diverse range of industries. Copycat products offer little advancement for the end consumer and impede innovations for all. This action is part of our global strategy to enforce our registered rights. The protection of intellectual property encourages
innovation, copying product reduces innovation and, if rewarded, discourages research and development. We will continue to maximize our contribution to the sports and safety segments and protection of people pursuing their passions and facilitating them to experience life to the fullest,” he continued.
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Media Contacts:
Kate Gaeir, SMITH, [email protected]
Gillon Hunter, KOROYD, [email protected]
About Smith
Originating from Sun Valley, Idaho, Smith was founded in 1965 with the invention of the first snow goggle featuring a sealed thermal lens and breathable vent foam. With 56 years of innovation and design experience, Smith is widely known today as an industry leader that pioneers advanced eyewear and helmets that incorporate dynamic technologies, optimized performance and clean styling to fuel fun beyond walls. Smith seeks to power thrilling experiences in snow, surf, bike, fish and peak performance outdoor adventures with a comprehensive collection that exudes modern style and vibrant personality. To Smith, the experience is everything. Smith is part of Safilo Group. Additional information is available at smithoptics.com.
About Koroyd
Established in 2010, Koroyd is a fast-growing technology company and ingredient brand founded on aerospace engineering principles which are challenging the state-of-the-art in a diverse range of markets and products from bicycle helmets to ballistic protection and baby seats. Koroyd’s welded tubes crumple instantly on impact, absorbing maximum force in a controlled manner, minimizing energy transferred to your head. This unique behaviour helps to protect your skull and brain from direct and angled impacts which may reduce the risk of suffering a life-changing injury. Present in the Snow segment since 2012, Koroyd features in 6 of the top 12 grossing helmets by US$ sold during the North American season 2019/2020, and is available in circa 29% of all snow helmets sold over 100 US$ in the North American market. Koroyd also features in cycle, motorcycle, aviation, juvenile, and industrial segments with a number of globally recognized brands.