Ohio Willow Wood Co. v. Alps S., LLC, No. 15-1132 (Fed. Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CaseOWW owns patents directed to cushioning devices that fit over the residual stumps of amputated limbs to make the use of prosthetics more comfortable. OWW has asserted its patents against Alps in several actions, including one filed in 2004 concerning devices consisting of stretchable synthetic fabric, coated with a gel on only the side touching the body, to reduce skin irritation, while the dry side allows free interaction with the prosthesis. After the court issued a claim construction order, Alps filed two successive ex parte reexamination proceedings before the Patent and Trademark Office. The examiner rejected the claims of the patent for obviousness. The Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences reversed, but the court granted Alps summary judgment of invalidity as to all asserted claims. The Federal Circuit remanded. Following remand, the Federal Circuit affirmed findings of inequitable conduct in the second reexamination, but not in the first. OWW executive Colvin was aware that OWW’s reexamination counsel represented to the Board that testimony by Alps’s witness (Comtesse) was uncorroborated; that Colvin was aware of materials that corroborated Comtesse’s testimony; and that Colvin failed to correct counsel’s misrepresentations. Based on that inequitable conduct finding, the patent is unenforceable and the case was exceptional, justifying a fee award against OWW.
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