On 15 May 2026, the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that American Tack & Hardware, a decorative hardware company, had infringed five power socket cover patents held by SnapRays (trading as SnapPower), and ordered it to pay damages of over US$9.4 million (approximately 63.94 million yuan).

The case began two years ago. SnapRays alleged that its electrical socket covers incorporated additional features such as LED lights and USB chargers, and were granted patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office between 2018 and 2019 (patent numbers: 10,109,945; 10,373,773; 10,381,788; 10,381,789; 10,404,045). However, shortly after the products were launched, they faced market competition from products such as LumiCover and GloCover, manufactured by American Tack & Hardware, which were alleged to infringe these patents.

In its statement of claim filed in May 2024, SnapRays stated: “As a result of the defendants’ unlawful conduct, SnapPower has suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable harm, including loss of customers, loss of revenue, diminished market position, and damage to its reputation as an innovator and leader in the field of live-panel covers, for which SnapPower has not been afforded adequate legal relief.”

Court records show that in April 2026, District Judge Reed O’Connor granted part of SnapRays’ motion for summary judgment, finding in advance that the defendant had indeed infringed the claims of the aforementioned five patents. Consequently, the jury trial in May focused primarily on patent validity and the amount of damages.

Ultimately, the jury found that American Tack & Hardware had failed to prove that the claims in question were invalid on the grounds that they were anticipated by prior art or were obvious, and ordered the company to pay damages of US$9,423,533 (approximately RMB 63.94 million).