Dyson has filed papers at the High Court alleging that a worker at its Wiltshire base stole the blueprints and passed them to its rival, Bosch.

Dyson alleges that the unnamed employee was paid £11,650 by Bosch for passing on details of its “secret motor technology” over a two-year period.

The employee in question had a previous relationship with Bosch and working in Dyson’s head office until earlier this year when the alleged plot was discovered.

The individual was one of a team of 100 engineers who developed high-speed brushless motors used to power Dyson’s vacuum cleaners and Airblade hand dryers.

These motors, which incorporate microchip technology, drive high volumes of air through the appliance and are not licensed to any other companies.

The company has previously fought hard against attempts to copy its products, with its Air Multiplier fan the subject of about 500 infringements in more than 30 countries over the past two years.

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