Razor Sues Variflex Over Aluminum Scooters

Variflex Inc. in Moorpark has been named in a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Razor USA of Cerritos, the manufacturer of a popular kick scooter.

Razor filed the lawsuit against 16 manufacturers and distributors after receiving a U. S. patent last month on a design component for its aluminum scooters, the company said in a statement.

“It is important that we move quickly to assert our ownership of the Razor scooter’s proprietary and unique design,” Razor President Carlton Calvin said. “We intend to vigorously protect and enforce our rights, and additional lawsuits are forthcoming.”

A Variflex official said the company would have no comment.

The scooter craze has been gathering momentum for about a year as youngsters have taken to the design of the lightweight scooters, which are reminiscent of the heavier 1920s metal scooters.

Razor filed the lawsuit in U. S. District Court in Los Angeles, alleging that competitors infringed on its patent by manufacturing similar scooters.

Razor estimated that it holds about 60% of the U. S. market for scooters and is losing sales to its competitors. The company projects that up to 5 million Razor scooters will be sold at retail locations by the end of the year.