ITC Judge Finds Violations of Pass & Seymour's Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Patent Rights
SYRACUSE, N.Y., Sept. 25, 2008 - Pass & Seymour/Legrand (P&S), a leading provider of electrical wiring devices and home systems, announced today that a U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) judge ruled that a number of Chinese manufacturers of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) have violated P&S's patent rights.
ITC Administrative Law Judge Carl C. Charneski's rulings followed an evidentiary hearing that took place June 2-12, 2008, in an investigation based on complaints filed by P&S in August and December 2007. The complaints alleged, among other things, violations of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by importing into the U.S. GFCIs which infringe six P&S patents.
The following companies were named in the investigation:
Chinese companies:
General Protecht Group, Inc.
Shanghai ELE Manufacturing Corp.
Shanghai Meihao Electric, Inc.
Wenzhou Trimone Science and Technology Electric Co., Ltd.
U.S. companies:
Cheetah USA Corp. of Sandy, Utah
Colacino Electric Supply, Inc., of Newark, N.Y.
The Designer's Edge, Inc., of Bellevue, Wash.
General Protecht Group U.S., Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.
GX Electric of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Ingram Products, Inc., of Jacksonville, Fla.
Lunar Industrial & Electrical, Inc., of Miami, Fla.
Nicor Inc., of Albuquerque, NM.
Orbit Industries, Inc., of Los Angeles, Calif.
Quality Distributing LLC, of Hillsboro, Ore.
Universal Security Instruments, Inc., of Owings Mills, Md.
General Protecht Group U.S., GX Electric, Ingram Products, Lunar Industrial & Electrical, Quality Distributing, and Universal Security Instruments settled with P&S before Judge Charneski's rulings.
Judge Charneski upheld the validity and enforceability and found infringement of all six of the patents asserted by P&S. The P&S patents at issue were U.S. Patent Nos. 5,594,398; 7,154,718; 7,164,564; 7,212,386; 7,256,973; and 7,283,340. Judge Charneski ruled that GFCIs made or sold by General Protecht Group, Shanghai ELE Manufacturing, Shanghai Meihao Electric and Wenzhou Trimone Science and Technology Electric infringe U.S. Patent Nos. 5,594,398; 7,212,386; and 7,283,340. Judge Charneski also ruled that GFCIs made or sold by Shanghai Meihao Electric infringe U.S. Patent No. 7,154,718 and that GFCIs made or sold by Shanghai ELE Manufacturing infringe U.S. Patent Nos. 7,164,564 and 7,256,973. Cheetah USA, Colacino Electric Supply, The Designer's Edge, Nicor and Orbit Industries have distributed the various infringing GFCIs in the United States.
The next step in the ITC process is for the full International Trade Commission to review Judge Charneski's ruling together with any appeals and make a final decision by December 24th.
"Judge Charneski's ruling affirms the special and innovative nature of our products and our company," said Pat Davin, Vice President and General Manager of Pass & Seymour/Legrand. "Innovative safety and productivity enhancing products are important ingredients of what our company brings to the market."
P&S has a related suit pending in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, seeking additional damages. There, P&S is also pursuing infringement claims against Hubbell Incorporated of Orange, Conn., for infringing a number of patents in issue in the ITC ruling and other patents.
Pass & Seymour/Legrand is a leading provider of electrical wiring devices, accessories, and home systems in North America. For more information, visit passandseymour.com.
About Legrand
Legrand is a global specialist in products and systems for electrical installations and information networks. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for use in commercial, industrial and residential markets makes it a benchmark for suppliers worldwide. Innovation for a steady flow of new products with high added value is an important element of Legrand's growth. Backed by sound business and financial structures, Legrand is actively expanding its presence in fast-growing geographical zones and market segments that include lighting controls, energy savings and home automation, organically, through business relationships, and through well-targeted, self-financed acquisitions. In 2007 Legrand employed 35,000 people around the globe and reported sales of Euros4.1billion, significant presence in emerging markets. The company is listed on the Eurolist market of Euronext Paris and is a component stock of indexes including the SBF120, FTSE4Good and MSCI World (ISIN code FR0010307819). For more about the North American operations of Legrand, visit www.legrandna.com.
Pass & Seymour/Legrand
P.O. Box 4822
Syracuse, NY 13221
CONTACT: Pat Davin
Phone: 315-468-8060
