Shaving brand Gillette has sued a start-up company for patent infringement and is seeking both an injunction and damages.
In a lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the District of Delaware on Thursday, December 17, Gillette claimed that Dollar Shave Club’s products infringe its patented technology used in Gillette brands including Mach3, Venus and Fusion.
The patent in question, US number 66,845,13, concerns a method for coating razor blades with a “chromium-containing overcoat layer” to aid the shaving process.
Gillette, owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G), said its patents help protect technical advancements that it has made over the years.
Deborah Majoras, chief legal officer of P&G, said: “We have long invested heavily in innovation, and our talented scientists have dedicated their careers to delivering the best shaving experience possible for men and women around the world.
“Our patents help protect the many technical advancements we’ve made through the years—and when it becomes necessary, we take action to protect these important assets.”
Dollar Shave Club started business in 2012.