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8 December 2020PatentsMuireann Bolger

Bridgestone wins tyre patent infringement claim in China

Tokyo-based tyre manufacturer  Bridgestone has secured a victory from the Beijing IP Court in its lawsuit against a Chinese competitor,  Shandong Vheal Group (Vheal), it  announced yesterday, December 7.

In September 2017, Bridgestone sued Vheal, claiming that it manufactured and sold tyres that used a truck tyre tread pattern that was covered under a Bridgestone patent, and that these activities violated its patent rights.

In its suit, Bridgestone claimed that its R118 truck tire tread pattern was developed by Bridgestone for China and other Asian markets, and the pattern refers to the section of the tire that comes into direct contact with the road's surface.

Bridgestone said in its statement: “Bridgestone takes seriously any unauthorised use or infringement of its patents, design rights, trademarks, or any other IP and will take all necessary legal steps to enforce its rights.

It added: “With this level of vigilance, Bridgestone is prioritising the safety and reliability associated with its products and maintaining and enhancing its hard-earned brand value.” In June 2020, the Beijing IP Court upheld Bridgestone's claim and ordered Vheal to cease activities that violated its patent rights and pay damages to Bridgestone in the amount of 500,000 yuan ($57,000). The court issued its decision in October 2020.

This is the second time Bridgestone has successfully enforced its patent covering the R118 tread pattern, as it also  won an infringement suit against Chinese tire manufacturer  Fangxing Rubber in  Shanghai High People's Court in February.

According to  data released by the Beijing IP Court, the court accepted around 1,200 cases involving foreign parties in the first half of 2019, of which foreigners won 68% of their civil cases.

Of the foreign-related civil cases heard by the Beijing IP Court during this period, foreigners comprised 76% of the plaintiffs and 19% of the defendants. Patent disputes accounted for 48% of the civil cases, with trademark and copyright disputes each accounting for roughly 20%.

The data showed that awards were made in nearly half of these IP-related cases (49%) and the average award was $194,000.

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