Companies Turn to Design Patents to Fight Overseas Knockoffs

Oakley Inc., Fitness Anywhere LLC and other companies are leaning into design patents to fight knockoff products coming across the U.S. border.

A series of patent infringement lawsuits have been filed in recent months against overseas importers accused of selling fake goods from China and other countries. The suits target numerous entities—in one case over 300—that sell merchandise in online marketplaces operated by companies like Amazon.com Inc., eBay Inc., and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

The multi-defendant complaints resemble anti-counterfeiting suits that companies have long filed over trademarks. But attorneys said it’s relatively new for companies to use ...