By . Lizzie Parry . PUBLISHED: . 13:36 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:15 EST, 28 February 2014 . Blow: Entrepreneur Rob Law was dealt a crushing blow as judges ruled a rival to his Trunki children's suitcase does not infringe on his design rights . A Dragons' Den reject who has sold two million of his children's ride-on suitcases was today dealt a crippling blow as judges ruled a rival product does not infringe on his design rights. Rob Law left the Den in 2006 dismayed after each of the Dragons ruled 'I'm out', after the strap on his prototype broke during a demonstration. But the entrepreneur fought to make the Trunki a success, and today turns over £7million a year. By 2011, 20 per cent of British three to six year olds owned one of the ride-on pull-along children's cases, which can be designed with a number of different animal and insect motifs. But trouble began to brew when Paul Beverley, MD of Hong Kong-based PMS International Limited, spotted a Trunki while on his travels in 2010. PMS began marketing a rival product, the Kiddee Case, setting the scene for a legal battle over the design. Appeal Court judges today ruled that the 'more rounded' shape of the Kiddee Case - which comes in animal and insect designs - is 'very different' to the Trunki's 'sleek and stylised' appearance. Lord Justice Kitchin said: 'The Kiddee Case is softer and more rounded and evocative of an insect with antennae or an animal with floppy ears.' The Court’s decision that the Kiddee Case does not breach the Trunki’s community registered design rights is a disaster for Mr Law and his company, Magmatic Ltd, effectively opening up the European market to its discount competitor. Bristol-based Mr Law was a student at Northumbria University when he was nominated as a finalist for the 1998 Materials Design Award. Given the brief to produce 'a design for luggage', he was inspired to design a child's bag, after visiting a toy shop. The prototype, which he dubbed the 'Rodeo' - was awarded the top prize. From there the Trunki became a success, with Mr Law securing a contract with John Lewis, on the back of his appearance on Dragon's Den. Scroll down for video . Practical: Globetrotting children can sit on the suitcase as their parents pull them along . Sucessful: Mr Law employs more than 50 people and enjoys a turnover of more than £7 million a year . Largely due to the popularity of the Trunki - which now sells in 97 countries - Magmatic won a top prize at the National Business Awards in 2012. But Mr Law's success came back to haunt him in court as PMS argued the 'Rodeo' design had been honoured publicly at the 1998 prize ceremony, long before the design rights were registered for the Trunki in 2003. While no one disputed that the Trunki was an ‘innovative design’ - and it was accepted that the Kiddee Case was 'inspired by' its rival - PMS pointed to a photograph of Mr Law at the award ceremony and argued the Trunki’s design rights were invalidated by the publicity. Ruling on the dispute today, Lord Justice Kitchin said that the differences in the rival products’ shape, decoration, and colour meant that the possibility of parents being confused between them was slight. Design: His invention is made from the same material as adult suitcase brands and can be ridden like a toy . Demonstration: He sat on one of his products during his appearance in front of the Dragons in 2006. But he left the Den disappointed as one by one the Dragons declared 'I'm out' Describing the insect version of the Kiddee Case, he said: 'It looks like a ladybird and the handles on its forehead look like antennae. 'Overall the shape conveys a completely different impression from that of the Trunki.' Although there were ‘some similarities at a general level’, the judge, sitting with Lord Justice Moses and Lady Justice Black, said: 'I think the impression conveyed to the informed user by the designs of the two versions of the Kiddee Case is very different from that of the Trunki.' There were, he said 'many significant differences' between the profile of the two products as well as their colour and decoration. Curious: The Dragons were initially impressed with the product, with Theo and Deborah (second and third from right) calling it 'cute' Dreams dashed: Mr Law felt the investment slipping away when Theo Paphitis managed to break one of the straps . He added: 'The overall impression created by the two designs is very different. The impression created by the Trunki is that of a horned animal. 'It is a sleek and stylised design and, from the side, has a generally asymmetrical appeareance...by contrast, the design of the Kiddee Case is softer and more rounded and evocative of an insect with antennae or an animal with floppy ears. 'At both a general and detailed level, the Kiddee Case conveys a very different impression.'
Rob Law was sent packing from the Den in 2006 after a strap on his children's ride-on suitcase broke during a demonstration .
He has since sold two million cases and turns over £7million a year .
But in 2010 a rival firm PMS International Limited marketed a new product, the Kiddee Case, sparking a legal battle .
Appeal Court judges today ruled the 'more rounded' Kiddee Case is 'very different' to the Trunki's 'sleek and stylised' appearance .
Court ruled the Kiddee Case does not breach Mr Law's design rights .
By . Lizzie Parry . PUBLISHED: . 13:36 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:15 EST, 28 February 2014 . Blow: Entrepreneur Rob Law was dealt a crushing blow as judges ruled a rival to his Trunki children's suitcase does not infringe on his design rights . A Dragons' Den reject who has sold two million of his children's ride-on suitcases was today dealt a crippling blow as judges ruled a rival product does not infringe on his design rights. Rob Law left the Den in 2006 dismayed after each of the Dragons ruled 'I'm out', after the strap on his prototype broke during a demonstration. But the entrepreneur fought to make the Trunki a success, and today turns over £7million a year. By 2011, 20 per cent of British three to six year olds owned one of the ride-on pull-along children's cases, which can be designed with a number of different animal and insect motifs. But trouble began to brew when Paul Beverley, MD of Hong Kong-based PMS International Limited, spotted a Trunki while on his travels in 2010. PMS began marketing a rival product, the Kiddee Case, setting the scene for a legal battle over the design. Appeal Court judges today ruled that the 'more rounded' shape of the Kiddee Case - which comes in animal and insect designs - is 'very different' to the Trunki's 'sleek and stylised' appearance. Lord Justice Kitchin said: 'The Kiddee Case is softer and more rounded and evocative of an insect with antennae or an animal with floppy ears.' The Court’s decision that the Kiddee Case does not breach the Trunki’s community registered design rights is a disaster for Mr Law and his company, Magmatic Ltd, effectively opening up the European market to its discount competitor. Bristol-based Mr Law was a student at Northumbria University when he was nominated as a finalist for the 1998 Materials Design Award. Given the brief to produce 'a design for luggage', he was inspired to design a child's bag, after visiting a toy shop. The prototype, which he dubbed the 'Rodeo' - was awarded the top prize. From there the Trunki became a success, with Mr Law securing a contract with John Lewis, on the back of his appearance on Dragon's Den. Scroll down for video . Practical: Globetrotting children can sit on the suitcase as their parents pull them along . Sucessful: Mr Law employs more than 50 people and enjoys a turnover of more than £7 million a year . Largely due to the popularity of the Trunki - which now sells in 97 countries - Magmatic won a top prize at the National Business Awards in 2012. But Mr Law's success came back to haunt him in court as PMS argued the 'Rodeo' design had been honoured publicly at the 1998 prize ceremony, long before the design rights were registered for the Trunki in 2003. While no one disputed that the Trunki was an ‘innovative design’ - and it was accepted that the Kiddee Case was 'inspired by' its rival - PMS pointed to a photograph of Mr Law at the award ceremony and argued the Trunki’s design rights were invalidated by the publicity. Ruling on the dispute today, Lord Justice Kitchin said that the differences in the rival products’ shape, decoration, and colour meant that the possibility of parents being confused between them was slight. Design: His invention is made from the same material as adult suitcase brands and can be ridden like a toy . Demonstration: He sat on one of his products during his appearance in front of the Dragons in 2006. But he left the Den disappointed as one by one the Dragons declared 'I'm out' Describing the insect version of the Kiddee Case, he said: 'It looks like a ladybird and the handles on its forehead look like antennae. 'Overall the shape conveys a completely different impression from that of the Trunki.' Although there were ‘some similarities at a general level’, the judge, sitting with Lord Justice Moses and Lady Justice Black, said: 'I think the impression conveyed to the informed user by the designs of the two versions of the Kiddee Case is very different from that of the Trunki.' There were, he said 'many significant differences' between the profile of the two products as well as their colour and decoration. Curious: The Dragons were initially impressed with the product, with Theo and Deborah (second and third from right) calling it 'cute' Dreams dashed: Mr Law felt the investment slipping away when Theo Paphitis managed to break one of the straps . He added: 'The overall impression created by the two designs is very different. The impression created by the Trunki is that of a horned animal. 'It is a sleek and stylised design and, from the side, has a generally asymmetrical appeareance...by contrast, the design of the Kiddee Case is softer and more rounded and evocative of an insect with antennae or an animal with floppy ears. 'At both a general and detailed level, the Kiddee Case conveys a very different impression.'
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