Novoluto GmbH, part of the Lovehoney Group, owner of the Womanizer brand, today announced that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has granted a preliminary injunction protecting the Group’s patented rose pleasure air technology in ongoing U.S. patent litigation.
The Court ordered the plaintiff to immediately stop selling, marketing, distributing, importing into the United States, or otherwise offering for sale products found likely to infringe U.S. Patent No. 9,763,851, including the accused rose-shaped products identified in the case. The injunction expressly covers products sold on Amazon.com under several identified ASINs and any redesigned or modified product versions that incorporate the claimed elements of said patent. The injunction remains in effect pending final judgment or further order of the Court.
In granting the injunction, the Court found that Novoluto is likely to succeed on the merits of its patent infringement claims, is likely to withstand challenges to the validity of the asserted patent, would suffer irreparable harm without injunctive relief, and that both the balance of equities and the public interest favor the patent owner.
“The Court’s decision is an important milestone in protecting Lovehoney Group’s innovation and intellectual property,” said Johannes von Plettenberg, CEO of Lovehoney Group. “We invest significantly in developing innovative products, and we are committed to protecting those innovations through appropriate enforcement. We believe this decision sends an important signal that intellectual property rights matter in our industry.”
The decision also serves as a timely reminder for manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to carefully assess the intellectual property position of rose-shaped products offered in the U.S. market.
Lovehoney Group continues to welcome inquiries from wholesalers, distributors and retailers interested in sourcing genuine, authorized rose products. The company offers B2B supply opportunities for its patented products and looks forward to expanding partnerships with businesses seeking innovative, compliant and reliable product solutions.
The litigation remains pending, and Novoluto will continue to pursue its claims through the U.S. courts.
