US Marshals Raid Tech Show’s Hoverboard Booth

Doerksen says that preventing the Chinese company to sell the Trotter was not only about shutting down competition but it was also a precaution after many low-quality hoverboards have already started to ruin the electric skateboards’ reputation by bursting into flames.

US Marshals raided the CES booth of a Chinese electric skateboard company today on the grounds it was showing off a product patented by another company, according to a report in Bloomberg.

Although it features additional LEDs and a new plastic housing, Future Motion, the company behind the OneWheel “hoverboard” has filed a patent infringement claim and has managed to secure a seizure order against Changzhou, which saw the company’s CES booth stripped of just about everything.

On Thursday, gadget lovers were treated to the sight of federal law enforcement officials packing up a booth run by Changzhou First International Trade Co., which makes a one-wheeled skateboard called the Trotter. The patent protects Future Motion against competitors making products that an ordinary observer may confuse with Onewheel.

After discovering Changzhou First International Trade’s product late past year, Doerksen sent a cease and desist letter in December demanding the company stop selling the product.

A US Department of Justice spokeswoman said: “A court order has been served in a civil case involving private litigation”. Future Motion’s first product, Onewheel®, exemplifies its dedication to crafting products that bridge recreation and transportation.

“As a company that launched ourselves at CES two years ago, we know that the world is watching”.

On Alibaba, Changzhou First has dozens of listings for a self-balancing vehicle that closely resembles the one Doerkson claimed to invent. The devices sell for $550 apiece.

The Chinese company did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment, and had earlier declined to speak to Bloomberg.