Sometimes A Cigar Is Just A Cigar
Posted on | March 4, 2010 | 21 Comments
2010-1151 Taylor Brands v. GB II Corp
ED/TN 08-cv-325
Mag. Judge Dennis Inman
Patentee Taylor appeals from the order of Judge Dennis Inman granting GB II summary judgment of non-infringement. The case involves U.S. Patent No. 6,651,344 which is generally directed to a spring assisted opening knife. At issue was the claim term “a set block situated at one side of the said blade” and whether the accused knife’s lack of a side set block could infringe.
In claim construction, just like dream analysis, sometimes claim term simply require just what it says. This appears to be case here based on the Court opinion.
The claims are directed to a spring-assisted opening knife in which the knife blade is set on a pivot and a spring (located in the knife handle) applying tension at the knife base. When released, the spring pushes on the knife base causing the knife to pivot into the open position. At issue is the “set block limitation” from claim 1, the only independent claim:
a set block situated at one side of the said blade adjacent to the pivotable conjoinment position of the said handle, with the said set block having a detent notch in the circumferential edge at the confluence of its maximum outer diameter and minimum outer diameter such that when the said blade is drawn out of and extended from the said receiving slot, the said detent notch faces the opposing end of the said receiving slot
The set block is item 7 in the drawing.
GB II’s knife, however, did not have a set block at one side of the blade, but instead used the knife blade base itself. The court found that the phrase “at one side” actually meant “at one side” and found no literal infringement. As for equivalents, the Court invoked the “all limitations rule”–that equivalents cannot be applied so broadly as to effectively eliminate the limitation altogether–and found that using the knife base and omitting the side set block could not be the equivalent of having a side set block.
Comments
21 Responses to “Sometimes A Cigar Is Just A Cigar”
Leave a Reply
Subscribe via RSS or Email
Introducing PATalert from PATracer
PATalerts: Recent CAFC Opinions 
- BATCHELOR V. MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD
Appeal Number: 2011-3189 - THE DOW CHEMICAL CO. V. NOVA CHEMICAL CORP. [ERRATA 2]
Appeal Number: 2010-1526 - LASERFACTURING, INC. V. DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP. [ORDER]
Appeal Number: 2009-1013 - SYNQOR, INC. V. ARTESYN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. [ORDER]
Appeal Number: 2011-1191 - CHADWELL V. MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD [ORDER]
Appeal Number: 2011-3174 - LAZARO V. DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Appeal Number: 2011-3190 - SEARCY V. MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD [ORDER]
Appeal Number: 2012-3033 - SEARCY V. MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD [ORDER]
Appeal Number: 2012-3054 - SCHROERLUCKE V. U.S. [ORDER]
Appeal Number: 2012-5026 - THORNER V. SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC.
Appeal Number: 2011-1114
June 29th, 2010 @ 10:58
Buy:Benicar.Amoxicillin.Nymphomax.Prozac.Seroquel.Advair.Zocor.SleepWell.Lasix.Cozaar.Female Pink Viagra.Female Cialis.Buspar.Ventolin.Wellbutrin SR.Lipothin.Lipitor.Zetia.Acomplia.Aricept….
August 29th, 2010 @ 21:42
Bars http://xelectrolsisfpuat.AACEHARDWARE.INFO/tag/bars+butterfly+Bars/ : Bars…
butterfly…
September 15th, 2010 @ 00:41
hotel http://uxu.yck.202i.cc : fe…
fe…
November 10th, 2010 @ 21:58
…
BUY FASHION. TOP BRANDS: GUCCI, DOLCE&GABBANA, BURBERRY, DIESEL, ICEBERG, ROBERTO CAVALLI, EMPORIO ARMANI, VERSACE…
December 6th, 2010 @ 20:04
Buy@Viagra.for.free.in.New.York” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buy it now!…
December 7th, 2010 @ 00:36
buy@sildenafil.citrate” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buy it now!…
July 6th, 2011 @ 20:20
buy@viagra.online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Need cheap generic VIAGRA?…
July 28th, 2011 @ 12:15
Buy@Coral.Calcium.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric pills…
July 29th, 2011 @ 00:40
Buy@Discount.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyit now…
July 29th, 2011 @ 03:35
Purchase@Cheap.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it…
July 29th, 2011 @ 05:14
Buy@Abana.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
July 29th, 2011 @ 07:38
Order@Discount.Abana” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills…
July 29th, 2011 @ 09:52
Purchase@Discount.Abana” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription…
July 29th, 2011 @ 10:42
Get@Abana.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyit now…
July 29th, 2011 @ 14:09
Order@Discount.Abilify” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription…
July 29th, 2011 @ 16:10
Get@Abilify.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs…
July 30th, 2011 @ 01:44
Buy@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buywithout prescription…
July 30th, 2011 @ 07:34
Order@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow…
July 30th, 2011 @ 12:41
Purchase@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow…
July 30th, 2011 @ 21:10
Buy@Generic.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buywithout prescription…
July 31st, 2011 @ 15:24
Order@Coral.Calcium.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription…