Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of its client – Industrial Dynamics Co. Ltd. – and overturned a jury verdict that Industrial Dynamics infringed a patent owned by Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH. The case involved equipment used in bottling plants to inspect bottles for defects. The Federal Circuit agreed that the District Court had incorrectly construed the claims of Heuft’s patent and found that Industrial Dynamics did not infringe the claims under the correct claim constructions.
In the prior proceedings before the District Court, Knobbe Martens was also successful in defending Industrial Dynamics against Heuft’s claims for damages and a permanent injunction. Because the Federal Circuit held that Industrial Dynamics did not infringe Heuft’s patent, the Court stated that it did not need to decide Heuft’s appeal of the denial of any damages or injunctive relief.
The Knobbe Martens lawyers who handled the trial and appeal included Joseph R. Re, Karen Vogel Weil, Steven J. Nataupsky, Sheila N. Swaroop, Matthew S. Bellinger and Marko R. Zoretic.
