The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued its initial determination in a patent infringement complaint against Voltage, finding that cable management patents from Shoals Technologies Group were infringed upon.
Credit: Shoals
On Feb. 6, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Doris Johnson Hines determined that Voltage violated Sec. 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by importing its LYNX trunk bus products into the United States. A Sec. 337 violation declares that the infringement of certain patents leads to unfair competition in import trade. The LYNX product allegedly infringes on Shoals’ patents for its Big Lead Assembly (BLA) solution.
This is the latest determination in a lengthy patent infringement battle between Shoals and Voltage. Shoals first claimed infringement against Voltage in 2023 for three in-line fuse and trunk bus patents. Shoals later withdrew its complaint on one of the trunk bus patents, the ITC dismissed the fuse patent infringement claim after determining Shoals didn’t practice it, and the ITC ultimately threw out the Sec. 337 case in January 2025 after determining Voltage did not infringe on Shoals’ trunk bus design.
Shoals filed a new Sec. 337 complaint against Voltage on Jan. 10, 2025, with two different patents (Nos. 12,015,375 and 12,015,376). These patents are also being challenged in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, which will have a bench trial on Feb. 26.
ALJ Hines found in her initial determination that both the ‘375 and ‘376 patents have been infringed upon by Voltage under Sec. 337.
“This initial ruling is a big step toward a win for American innovation and the domestic energy supply chain,” said Brandon Moss, CEO of Shoals Technologies Group. “We appreciate the ALJ’s recognition that protecting intellectual property means protecting the future of American energy security. Shoals was founded on the belief that U.S. manufacturing should lead the electrification revolution, and we will continue to defend our intellectual property, invest in domestic production, and create American jobs.”
The ITC’s final determination is scheduled to be released by June 2026. In the meantime, Voltage may still import its LYNX products into the United States.
Voltage, based in North Carolina, manufactures some product in China. The company just announced it would open a new eBOS manufacturing site in North Carolina to produce more Made-in-America product. The company has developed the new LYNX PLUS product, which is a “step forward beyond current trunk-bus solutions” and was acknowledged by ALJ Hines to not infringe on any Shoals patents.
Story was edited after receiving clarifying statements from Voltage.