University of Cincinnati Sues Crayola over Patent Infringement
ByThe University of Cincinnati is dragging the toy company, Crayola, to federal court for employing its patented technology into its popular products - Glow Board, Glow Dome and Glow Book. The University officials claim that the light-source invention was created by the school's optical-physics researchers.
Through the lawsuit, the school is urging Crayola to stop using the technology and is seeking financial damages for 'willfully' breaching on the school's patent.
"To protect our faculty who pursue useful research, and the taxpayers who support them, the university will take action to defend the rightful ownership of our intellectual property," the university officials said in a statement, Dispatch reports.
Mike DeWine, Ohio Attorney General, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the university in U.S. District Court in Columbus on Monday.
Crayola, famous for its signature crayons, has been in business for nearly 110 years. It has evolved into a larger franchise with the introduction of unique products to meet the growing needs of kids. Its glow products allow users to draw with markers on reusable surfaces that glow in the dark.
For the holiday season, the Crayola has introduced See Thru Light Designer for $22.99. Children, below six, can make use of the reusable transparent panels to create art work and then animate it with 7 different light effect combinations. Children can also place their toys, pictures or people behind the panels and produce various animated creations.
Another product is the Crayola Marker Maker for $19 that helps kids create custom colors, labels and packaging. The kit comes with three different ink colors, beakers and plastic tubes to help make custom markers.