Flashlights Used in the Fluorescent Mineral Hobby is at Risk.
Way Too Cool (Way too not Cool) is suing Engenious Designs for patent infringement. Basically they are claiming the filters used on our UV flashlights get hot and therefore anyone who installs a filter is infringing on his patent.
Rhett Peterson/Engenious Designs has been sued by Bill Gardner/Way Too (not) Cool with a patent claim that many believe is invalid based on prior art and simple laws of nature. John Dean who sells UV flashlights to the Great Lakes Fluorescent Sodalite Hunters community has been threatened with the same patent lawsuit. Mark Cole has also been taken to court by WTnC to try and get design information. Many of us feel that a claim against any defendant with this patent is an action against all of us in this small but enthusiastic fluorescent mineral community. But the courts and the Patent Office must decide the legal outcomes, not us. Defendants will have to pay $30K to $50K each to defend themselves/countersue, and if a case gets complicated or extended, then the fees will grow to potentially $100K to $150K.
WHY IS THIS PATENT FIGHT SO IMPORTANT?
Mark Cole introduced the original Convoy S2 to the hobby around 2017. Six+ months later "Way too (not) Cool" claimed it as his own, started threatening lawsuits, and jacked the price up almost 4X.
Cole designed the C8 a year or so later. WTnC copied the design and publicly called him a crook for teaching WTnC (and everyone) how to do it.
Rhett and others, designed the new SW/MW flashlights late 2021 - an enormous leap forward. To date, WTnC has not been able to deliver a SW flashlight.
Way too (not) Cool has NEVER designed an original flashlight of their own - ZERO contribution to the hobby other than doubling or tripling prices. To this day they have not even been able to copy our SW MW designs, and have no SW flashlight to sell
YET THEY ARE TRYING TO SHUT DOWN THE ONLY RETAIL OUTLETS IN THE USA OFFERING THESE LIGHTS!
All funds raised will go to the #UVUnited defense fund for whoever gets sued under this patent.
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