Axon, maker of the Taser weapon, defeats copycat firm in patent lawsuit

Enlarge / Phazzer's Enforcer weapon retailed for around $600, compared with $900 for a comparable Taser weapon. (credit: Phazzer)

Axon, the company formerly known as Taser, said Monday that it has successfully defeated a Florida company in a patent lawsuit over its electrical stun gun design. For Axon, the victory is the third against knockoff rival firms in the last seven years.

Last Friday, a federal judge in Florida found that a company called "Phazzer" (yes, like "phaser") "engaged in a pattern of bad faith behavior" as the case has unfolded. Phazzer made a product strikingly similar to the Taser. And the case involving Axon was first filed in 2016, shortly after a Florida county sheriff decided to switch from Taser weapons to Phazzer (largely over cost reasons).

To further punish the company, US District Judge Paul Byron ruled in favor of Axon and hit Phazzer with a permanent injunction to make, sell, import, or distribute its own stun guns, likely marking a death knell for the Kissimmee, Florida-based company. For now, Phazzer's website is still up and makes no mention of the lawsuit.

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