#PatentLawsuit

The off-road rivalry between Minnesota-based ATV and Side-by-Side manufacturers Polaris and Arctic Cat is heating up. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune Polaris is suing Arctic Cat for allegedly violation a patent (#8,596,405).

That particular patent covers a lot of ground, so we’re not entirely sure exactly what part of the patent Polaris believes Arctic Cat violated. You can see the patent for yourself here. However, one of the many details on this patent is the vehicle width. Here’s an excerpt: “It may be appreciated that width C may be defined by both the outer surfaces of tires and fenders of front panel, should the respective dimensions be substantially equal. In the illustrative embodiment, width is about 50 inches. In other embodiments, ATV may be constructed to other suitable widths, however the present invention contemplates ATVs having a trail compliant width or less than about 54 inches.”