ProSlide Technology Inc., an industry leader in water ride manufacturing and design, has announced that it has successfully enforced its patent rights in the US. Earlier this month, a jury in Florida found that WhiteWater infringed patents owned by ProSlide for the FlyingSAUCER and non-commercialized ORBIT technology by offering similar products for sale in the US. Additionally, the jury upheld ProSlide’s patents’ validity.
Rick Hunter, ProSlide president & CEO says, “We are very pleased with the jury’s ruling in this case. At ProSlide, we understand the importance of protecting the investment that we make when developing new products by filing and defending patents. The FlyingSAUCER has revolutionized what a water ride experience could be and is unlike anything that was available prior to its introduction to the market.”
The jury found that ProSlide’s U.S. Patent No. 10,702,783 was infringed upon by WhiteWater’s Tailspin and Orbiter. The jury also determined that ProSlide’s U.S. Patent No. 9,079,111 was infringed upon by WhiteWater’s AquaSphere.
In response to this, Hunter says: “We are happy that the jury ruled that our patents are valid, providing ProSlide with assurance that our innovative designs are protected in the U.S. market from being replicated. The water park industry has been confused in recent years about WhiteWater’s infringing Tailspin and Orbiter products. The jury clearly called out the willful infringement.”
In 2015, the FlyingSAUCER made its debut in the water park sector as Singha at Siam Park in Tenerife, Spain, and won the Best New Water Ride of the Year Brass Ring Award from IAAPA.
ProSlide also recently won Leading-Edge Awards from the World Waterpark Association (WWA) for its work on the custom RideHouse Camp IdaH2O at Roaring Springs, and the Rocket Blast water coaster at Waldameer Water World. The World Waterpark Association presents the Leading-Edge Award to recognise innovative concepts, products, and services.
