Lian Li files patent infringement lawsuit against Phanteks

There is a lawsuit brewing among two big names in the PC component space. Lian Li patented its case fan daisy-chaining method years ago and now claims that Phanteks' new D30 series fans are infringing on that patent. 

Lian Li obtained the patent for an “illumination fan connectable with at least one illumination fan for a computer” back in 2020. The patent also details the design, in which an RGB fan has a power socket and a connector on one side of the body, which can connect to a second connector on the other side of the body, allowing RGB fans to be daisy chained.

As the case listing on Justica shows, Lian Li filed the lawsuit against Phanteks Europe and Axpertec Inc. on the 8th of September. For those who don't know, Axpertec is a spare parts supplier for Phanteks products in Europe. It doesn't appear that Phanteks has added to the case docket yet with its own filing. It has been reported that Lian Li sent a letter detailing its complaints to Phanteks earlier this year ahead of the lawsuit filing.

Neither company has commented on the lawsuit publicly but we'll keep an eye out for updates in the months ahead.

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KitGuru Says: If Lian Li's lawsuit is successful, then Phanteks may find itself in a position where it has to change the design of its daisy-chain fans, or pay royalties for use of the patent. 

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