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Fun fact about the "assignor estoppel" patent issue now going to SCOTUS, in Minerva v. Hologic, is that the case law is a 1924 case that's about a worker going off to form a "startup" (Formica) & getting sued by his ex-employer (Westinghouse). https://www.letterspatent.org/p/supreme-court-minerva-hologic
Formica was originally an insulating agent for electrical equipment. Built from an early plastic (Bakelite), it worked better than mica, the mineral that was commonly used to insulate before that. Hence, "For Mica"
Inventor Daniel J. O'Conor worked at Westinghouse and assigned the patents to his employer. But he thought Westinghouse undervalued the invention & didn't promote it so he and a Westinghouse salesman went on to form their own company.
That was fine with Westinghouse for a few years. Until it wasn't. The electrical giant unleashed lawsuits against its ex-employee's new company, alleging patent infringement.
The lawsuits didn't stop Formica from being successful. By 1930 Formica changed its focus from industrial equipment to the things it's still famous for, like decorative countertops. The material was "colorful, durable and cigarette-proof." https://www.formica.com/en-my/campaigns/about-us/our-history
