3M takes on another Chinese company in patent and TM claim

US conglomerate 3M has taken on another China-based company for alleged patent and trademark infringement.

On Friday, September 22, in a lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, 3M claimed that Thunder Finish had sold infringing automotive paint-spraying products.

3M sells the PPS Paint Preparation System, which includes a “disposable liner and lid with a built-in filter that improves and simplifies the mixing, use and cleanup required when painting with a gravity-fed spray gun”.

According to the claim, Thunder Finish markets its products as “Paint Preparation System PPS” and “depicts images of knock-off replicas of 3M’s patented PPS”.

3M owns a number of patents covering its PPS technology, including US number 9,211,553, called “Apparatus for spraying liquids, and adapters and liquid reservoirs suitable for use therewith”.

The US conglomerate’s PPS trademark is registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office under numbers 4,156,991 and 2,861,036.

3M is seeking injunctive relief, damages, destruction of infringing materials and a jury trial.

This isn’t the first time this year that 3M has taken on a Chinese company over the PPS system.

In April, 3M sued Phoenix Automotive Refinishing, along with California-based K2 Concepts, alleging that the companies sold infringing automotive paint-spraying products.

According to the claim, Phoenix imported into the US and sold lids and liners that use 3M’s technology, and used copyrighted 3M photos and the PPS marks in its marketing materials.

“3M is committed to protecting its substantial investments in research and development and innovative technologies,” said the company in a press release, published on Friday, September 22.

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