West Dundee glasses firm files patent suit

West Dundee's Waters Industries filed suit in U.S. District Court Monday for patent infringement over its "Panther Vision" LED-equipped lighted reading glasses.

Named as defendants in the suit were Chicago-based For Your Ease Only, New York-based Mr. Christmas and Hammacher Schlemmer, for its Niles store, and Delaware-based QVC.

The suit claims products sold by those firms violate the patent for lighted reading glasses granted Michael Waters of Barrington Hills in 2003 and marketed under the name Panther Vision.

The glasses use beams of LED light from the frames on each side to brighten books or other items in front of the viewer. The suit says products marketed by the defendants are too similar to Waters' original design.

It seeks compensatory and punitive damages as well as legal fees.