USA - Office furniture manufacturer Knoll has sued UK-based rival Senator for alleged patent infringement related to a design feature on Knoll’s Pixel tables.

Knoll filed a lawsuit at the US District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania on 2 October claiming that Senator’s Array infringes on a 2019 patent that Knoll holds (the 638 patent) in relation to the ‘C-leg’ design on its Pixel desking system.

The US firm says that Senator’s Array table – which was introduced at the NeoCon trade show in Chicago in June – has an “ornamental appearance that is almost identical” to that of its C-leg Pixel product which is protected under the ‘638 patent.

Knoll affirmed that Senator has had “actual knowledge” of the ‘638 patent since at least 17 July 2019 and alleged the UK company knew about it during the development of its Array product and prior to exhibiting it at NeoCon.

Knoll, Inc. portfolio includes furniture, textiles, leathers, lighting, accessories, and architectural and acoustical elements. Their brands — Knoll Office, KnollStudio, KnollTextiles, KnollExtra, Spinneybeck FilzFelt, Edelman Leather, HOLLY HUNT, DatesWeiser, Muuto, and Fully — reflect Knoll’s commitment to modern design that meets the diverse requirements of high performance workplaces and luxury interiors.

The Company was founded in 1938 by Hans and Florence Knoll who embraced the creative genius at the Bauhaus School and the Cranbrook Academy of Art to create new types of furniture and environments for the workplace. Their approach, where craftsmanship joined with technology through the use of design, anchors their perspective and company values.