ITC to investigate 50 companies at Canon’s request
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) will investigate 50 companies that are allegedly importing patent-infringing toner products into the US, following a complaint made by Japanese company Canon.
The ITC issued a release confirming the investigation yesterday, March 26.
In its complaint, filed February 28, Canon claimed that certain infringing toner cartridges are being imported into the US by a number of companies based in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Canada, and the US.
Canon accused the companies of making and selling toner cartridges and photosensitive drum units which infringe Canon’s patents, US numbers 9,746,826; 9,836,021; 9,841,727; 9,841,728; 9,841,729; 9,857,764; 9,857,765; 9,869,960; and 9,874,846.
Photosensitive drum units facilitate printing through the use of heat and pressure to transfer the colour toner to the paper, producing the text and images.
The Japanese company requested that the ITC issue a general exclusion order and cease-and-desist orders against the 50 companies.
Canon has also filed patent infringement claims against the companies named in its ITC complaint including Static Control Components, which purports to be the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of parts and supplies supporting the laser toner remanufacturing industry.
Canon filed a patent infringement complaint against Static Control at the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina on February 28. The lawsuit alleged infringement of the same patents named in the ITC investigation.
According to the complaint, Static Control offers replacement toner cartridges for Canon and HP laser beam printers. The cartridges and their components, including the photosensitive drum units, are allegedly covered by Canon’s asserted patents.
Canon also said that Static Control is indirectly infringing its patents by inducing customers’ infringement of them
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