Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Defendant.
Appearances
This matter comes before the Court upon the Motion for a
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its Gotham Steel deep square pan [Docket No. 5]. On April 11,
I. BACKGROUND
Mo-Tsan Tsai on May 23, 2016 and by Keith Mirchandani June 20,
2016, and duly recorded with the United States Patent and
KE M.O. House Co., Ltd. by Mo-Tsan Tsai on May 23, 2016 and by
Keith Mirchandani on June 20, 2016, and duly recorded with the
Chef square pan. According to Tristar, the Copper Chef pan has
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Copper Chef trade dress, including the shape and depth of the
II. ANALYSIS
Labs. v. Sandoz, Inc., 544 F.3d 1341, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2008).
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v. Apotex, Inc., 633 F.3d 1042, 1050 (Fed. Cir. 2010); Titan
Tire Corp. v. Case New Holland, Inc., 566 F.3d 1372, 1375-76
(Fed. Cir. 2009); Kos Pharm., Inc. v. Andrx Corp., 369 F.3d 700,
708 (3d Cir. 2004). The Court addresses these factors in turn.
Sunglass Hut Intl, 316 F.3d 1331, 1340 (Fed. Cir. 2003).
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(citing Genentech, Inc. v. Novo Nordisk A/S, 108 F.3d 1361, 1364
argues that it does not infringe the Patents and, in any event,
1. Infringement
below:
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Like the 664 Patent, the 103 Patent indicates that the
Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., 543 F.3d 665, 678 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (en
observer. Id.
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Pl. Br. at 2.
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out, the 664 Patent depicts a pan with a plain bottom. The
by six rows of small circles, totaling 234, and the circles are
has no plain center circle, and instead has eight rows of small
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pointed out all of the differences between its product and the
not view the design of the Gotham Steel product to be the same
infringement claims.
the Court next considers the validity of the 664 Patent and the
103 Patent.
2. Validity
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a. Anticipation
Yorktowne, Inc., 256 F.3d 1308, 1312 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (quoting
Hupp v. Siroflex of Am., Inc., 122 F.3d 1456, 1461 (Fed. Cir.
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test set forth in Gorham Mfg. Co. v. White, 81 U.S. 511, 528
following comparisons:
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by Emson from the top, the Court nonetheless finds that the
design in the 664 Patent and that any minor variations are
anticipated.
b. Obviousness
Emson next argues that both the 664 Patent and the 103
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art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been
and content of the prior art; (2) the level of ordinary skill in
the pertinent art; (3) the differences between the prior art and
commercial success, long felt but unsolved need, and the failure
1259 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (citing Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S.
1, 17-18 (1966)); see also KSR Intl Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550
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high, 9.5 x 9.5 square pan with two handles. The body of the
to the body shape of the 664 Patents design, except for a lip
that extends around the outside of the upper edge. The sides of
the Woll W1024NL pan, like the sides of the 664 Patents
the Woll W1024NL pan are rounded in substantially the same way
appear the same. As noted, however, the Woll W1024NL pan has a
slight outer lip along outside the periphery of the top edge of
the pan.
that items E269 and E269GS each comprise a square pan body
of both the E269 and E269GS pans has a shape identical in all
E269 and E269GS pans are rounded as in the 664 Patents design.
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of the 664 Patent. The size, shape, and depth of the E269 and
E269GS pans and pan set forth in the 664 Patent are
along the periphery of the upper edge of the E269 and E269GS
the pan body are within the prior art known to ordinary
designers of pans.
2005. The pan design disclosed in RCD 949 has a square body
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The RCD 949 design looks the same as the 664 Patents
CN 853, shown below, also has a square body, rounded edges, and
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RCD 369 each teach a pan with a lipless, straight edge along
the top of the sides of the pan. CN 141 discloses a square pan
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The Court agrees with Defendant that CN 141 and RCD 369
design that any one of the primary references, i.e. the Woll
W1024NL pan, the AMT E269GS, E269, or E267 pans, the RCD 949
design.
The Court now turns to the 103 Patent. Emson also argues
the AMT Catalog E269 and E269GS pans, RCD 949, and CN 853 have
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to modify any one of the primary reference pans, i.e., the Woll
W1024NL pan, the AMT E269GS or E269, the RCD 949 pan, or the
For the reasons set forth above, the Court finds that
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350, 357 (3d Cir. 2007) (citing TrafFix Devices, Inc. v. Mktg.
Barr Labs., Inc., 329 F.3d 348, 353 (3d Cir. 2003)). Trade
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Indus., Inc. v. Swanson, 235 F.3d 165, 171 (3d Cir. 2000)).
elements:
Id. (citing Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Samara Bros., 529 U.S. 205,
210-11 (2000)).
Dempster, 764 F.3d 303, 309 (3d Cir. 2014) (quoting Landscape
Forms, Inc. v. Columbia Cascade Co., 113 F.3d 373, 381 (2d Cir.
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the size, shape and depth of the square pans (as shown above)
sold under the Copper Chef trademark. The trade dress further
baldly states that [a]ll the features that make up the COPPER
No. 1]. Moreover, the Complaint did not identify Copper Chefs
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of its alleged trade dress in its briefing and during the motion
1. Inherent Distinctiveness
or Secondary Meaning
210 (quoting Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc., 505 U.S. 763,
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at 211 (quoting Inwood Labs., Inc. v. Ives Labs., Inc., 456 U.S.
further explained:
Id. Based upon this reasoning, the Supreme Court held that, in
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Nat. Ins. Servs., Inc. v. Commerce Ins. Agency, Inc., 214 F.3d
secondary meaning, the Third Circuit has set forth the following
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E.T. Browne Drug Co. v. Cococare Prod., Inc., 538 F.3d 185, 199
(3d Cir. 2008) (citing Commerce Nat. Ins., 214 F.3d at 438).
Chef product design has acquired secondary meaning and that its
advertising for the Copper Chef pan in the United States and
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that its sales of the Copper Chef pan were over $100 million in
how long Plaintiffs Copper Chef pan has been on the market. In
the Copper Chef pan launched in the United States in 2016 and
that Tristar secured the rights to the Copper Chef square pan
via assignment from the inventors of the pan on June 20, 2016.
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the market at most only nine months later. Indeed, the duration
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stated that Tristars Copper Chef pans were the number one
secondary meaning.
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Gotham Steel Square Pan mirrors the Copper Chef trade dress and
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Inc., 237 F.3d 198, 211 (3d Cir. 2000)). Put differently, a
goods and thereby trade off the good will of a prior producer.
the factors set forth in Interpace Corp. v. Lapp, Inc., 721 F.2d
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(4) the length of time the defendant has used its trade
dress without evidence of actual confusion arising;
Chase & Co., 432 F.3d 463, 471 (3d Cir. 2005)).
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appropriate. Id.
bar. The Court begins with the most important factor, the
differences:
Compl. 9-10.
pan and the Gotham Steel pan are different colors. The exterior
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Gotham Steel pan are flat, whereas the handles of the Copper
Chef pan are tubular. Moreover, the bottoms of the two pans are
circles. The Gotham Steel pan, on the other hand, has only
Gotham Steel pan and on each side of the retail box, greatly
products configuration.).
Pl. Br. at 3.
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exclusively in English.
the factors addressing the length of time Defendant has used its
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likelihood of confusion.
Next, the Court finds that the price of the goods suggests
purchase. The greater the care and attention, the less the
Brands, LLC v. Patel Shah Indian Grocery, 331 F. Appx 975, 982
important the use of the product, the more care that must be
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The Copper Chef pan and the Gotham Steel pan, however, are
evidence that Defendant adopted its trade dress with the intent
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Having weighed the various Lapp factors and based upon the
consumer confusion between the Copper Chef pan and the Gotham
B. IRREPARABLE HARM
Soup Co. v. ConAgra, Inc., 977 F.2d 96, 91 (3d Cir. 1992))
Apple, Inc. v. Samsung Elecs. Co., 678 F.3d 1314, 1324 (Fed.
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F.3d 558, 571 (3d Cir. 2015) (quoting Sampson v. Murray, 415
CellzDirect, Inc., 664 F.3d 922, 930 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (citing
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470 F.3d 1368, 1382-83 (Fed Cir. 2006)), Plaintiff has presented
certain retail outlets that did not want to carry two competing
Copper Chef square pan and the Gotham Steel square pan.
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(and do not have the kitchen space for) a second square pan.
Decl. 13.
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event Plaintiff prevails, the Court finds that Plaintiff has not
C. BALANCE OF EQUITIES
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D. PUBLIC INTEREST
most basic public interest at stake in all Lanham Act cases [is]
See Keene Corp. v. Paraflex Indus., Inc., 653 F.2d 822, 827
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(3d Cir. 1981); see also Wal-Mart, 529 U.S. at 213 ([c]onsumers
Accordingly, the Court finds that the public interest does not
III. CONCLUSION
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