Britain's Dyson launches legal action against Samsung for 'cynical rip off'

British manufacturer Dyson said it had begun legal action against Samsung Electronics, to protect against what it claims is a "cynical rip off" by the Korean group of the British firm's patented technology.

Dyson said in a statement it had issued proceedings in the English High Court against Samsung Electronics, a subsidiary of the Korean conglomerate, relating to the steering mechanism used by the Samsung Motion Sync vacuum cleaner.

"This looks like a cynical rip off by the giant Korean company Samsung," company founder James Dyson said.

"Although they are copying Dyson's patented technology, their machine is not the same. Samsung has many patent lawyers so I find it hard not to believe that this is a deliberate or utterly reckless infringement of our patent."

Dyson said in the statement that the Motion Sync range appeared to copy its steering mechanism which had been the result of three years research and development. Dyson said its DC37 and DC39 machines were the world's first cylinder vacuums to use a ball steering mechanism.

Samsung said the Motion Sync was the product of its own extensive research and development, and rejected the accusation.

"We will take all necessary measures, including legal action, to protect our technological innovation against Dyson's groundless claims," Samsung said in a statement.

© Thomson Reuters 2013