The inventor of the Blade pistol stabilizer is being sued by Alessandro Bosco, the inventor of the SB range of braces for patent infringement.  What is interesting is that the patent in question is a design patent. It does not cover function instead it covers how Bosco’s stock looks. Martin Ewer of Shockwave (obviously not an unbiased source) writes …

To ensure that my design was free and clear of any patent entanglements, I did my due diligence, hiring a patent attorney to review my device against everything else out there. After exhaustive research, my attorney wrote a Freedom to Operate letter on July 30, 2014, stating that my device did not infringe on any utility patents or design patents on record, including those of Alessandro “Alex” Bosco. With specific regard to Bosco’s design patent D706,896 for the SigTac SB-15, my attorney wrote: “[This is] not germane to your invention.”

I launched the Blade in early March of this year (2015). Much to my surprise—and that of everybody I’ve told this story to—NST Global LLC (aka SB Tactical aka Alessandro Bosco aka Alex Bosco) filed a lawsuit against my company within just two months of the Blade hitting the market. His claim? That I am infringing on his cosmetic design patent, D706,896. Yes, the very same patent that my attorney wrote wasn’t even germane to discussions about the Blade. Looking at the pictures below, the two products couldn’t look more dissimilar in my opinion. (First two pictures courtesy of AR15news.com.)

 

…

Bosco has stated (through his attorney, of course) that to resolve this lawsuit, he wants me to stop selling the Blade. I obviously won’t do that. My blood, sweat, and tears are invested in my product. It is my original invention. I have my own patent pending for the Blade. And I’ve never been one to back down from a fight. The Blade doesn’t infringe on any of Bosco’s patents. It’s just that simple. Besides, competition is good. As we all know, America was built on competition.

Read more about Marty’s side of the story at his blog.