NIke, Burton, VF Corp, Quiksilver & Others Face Patent Infringment Claims In Court
josh hunter
- March 30 2009
- 7 comments
According to a story on Courthouse News, several leading action sports manufactureres are among the dozens of brands being charged by Tec-Technology Enabled Clothing, Inc. with patent infringement. The complaint against these companies stems from their use of “wire management capabilities for portable electronic devices” in jackets.
Here are all of the defendants in the federal complaint:
American Recreation Products Inc.; Banana Republic Inc.; Bergan of America Inc.; Bonfire Snowboarding Inc.; The Burton Corporation; Calvin Klein Inc.; CMW Inc.; Coalision U.S.A. Inc.; Collective Licensing International LLC; Columbia Sportswear USA Corporation; Coupounas LLC; David Peyser Sportswear Inc.; Eddie Bauer Inc.; FNC Kolon USA Corp.; Helly Hansen (U.S.) Inc.; Hugo Boss Fashions Inc.; Ibex Outdoor Clothing Incorporated; J.C. Penney Corporation; LaFuma America Inc.; L.L. Bean Inc.; Marker Volkl USA Inc.; Marmot LLC; Nike Inc.; Nikita Clothing USA Inc.; Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation; Quicksilver Americas Inc.; Rossignol Ski Company Inc.; Sport Oberneyer LTD.; Spyder Active Sports Inc.; Tahsin Industrial Corp. U.S.A.; The Timberland Company; Under Armour Inc.; and V.F. Corporation.
Check out the entire court document here.
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March 30th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I WOULD LOVE TO BE THE PERSON OR COMPANY WHO HOLDS THAT PATENT!!!
March 30th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Wow. Supposedly their patent includes “A garment comprising a pocket exposed at least partially on the interior surface of the shell … allowing items to be inserted into the pocket.” Seriously? Doesn’t seem so high-tech. I wonder if I can get sued for running my iPod wire along the inside of my hoodie.
I’m curious to see where this goes. It feels like it might just be a desperate attempt by a company to throw up the threat of a lawsuit to see if any money comes back at them.
Imagine what it’s like when Nike summons its legal team. I imagine some kind of shaman spilling the blood of a virgin. Then a volcano erupts and about 20 people with suits and briefcases emerge, complete with glowing eyes and fangs. Now add in Quik, VF Corp., and all those other companies’ highly compensated legal teams. It’s like the freakin’ Legal Legion of Doom.
Unless Tec-Technology is a lot better at suing people than it is at thinking up company names, it doesn’t seem like this will go far.
March 30th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
QUOTE: “It feels like it might just be a desperate attempt by a company to throw up the threat of a lawsuit to see if any money comes back at them”
I agree. Seems like a sorry attempt at trying to get some easy money.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:30 am
I have been taken to court years ago at least 3 times because of so-called copyright infringement/patents. So what?…they never collected because although my products “looked” similiar and performed in a “similiar fashion” it was not the same thing. If anyone is going to copy something, make sure you “tweak it” to make it “your own”. That’s what I did, no sweat. Can you imagine ALL the surfboard shapers in the world getting sued because they make surfboards with wings, swallowtails, pintails, etc??? EVERYONE around the world copies everybody. Tough break for the originators!
February 1st, 2010 at 1:46 pm
you ignorants obviously don't get it. the idea is, "having some way to manage all your gadgets and devices, and the wires that come with them (such as the earphone-cables for earphones [for mp3 players, cellphones, cd players, casette walkmans, etc], "corded" cellphone-headsets, etc), as part of the actual product".
@WhizKid: "Doesn't seem so high-tech. I wonder if I can get sued for running my iPod wire along the inside of my hoodie. " duh you can do that. it doesn't infringe on the patent. why? because your hoodie most definitely doesn't have any kind of hidden conduit which would allow you to easily wire the iPod and just leave it wired, and take off and put on your hoodie WITHOUT having to re-wire your wire of your earphones.
and hasn't anybody realized that T.E.C. ("Technology-Enabled Clothing") has this patent even before the freaking iPod was even THOUGHT OF?!
apparently none of you guys knew, did you?
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:22 pm
T.E.C. grasping at straws. Give it up already.