By our economics editors
Jan 19, 2024 at 9:48 AM Update: 22 minutes ago
The start-up Boombrush has come to blows with Philips over the design of an electric toothbrush. According to Philips, the device from the Dutch start-up looks suspiciously similar to the Sonicare DiamondClean toothbrush from Philips.
Philips accuses Boombrush of infringing Philips’ design rights, a spokesperson confirmed after reporting in The Telegraph. For example, a number of typical features would be identical.
The Sonicare is long and narrow, with a button about two-thirds of the way down the handle. The Boombrush is said to have copied this, and ten other appearances, from the Sonicare.
But Boombrush did indeed create a design itself, founder Kim Hiemstra told NU.nl. “Within the limits of the design for an electric toothbrush, the models differ quite a bit. For example, our model is round, while the Philips handle is square, with rounded corners.”
Furthermore, the Sonicare’s button is about two-thirds of the way down the handle, and the Boombrush’s button is about three-quarters of the way, Hiemstra says.
Boombrush finds legal battle ‘super unfortunate’
The founder of the start-up thinks it is a “great shame” that the company has to deal with this conflict. It costs the company time and money that it would rather have invested in other matters.
A Philips spokesperson says that Philips has spoken with Boombrush several times since 2020 about the similarities of the two toothbrushes in design, “to find a solution together.” But according to him, that didn’t work out.
The summons has been submitted to the court in The Hague.
2024-01-19 08:48:02
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