EFI Wins Patent Lawsuit on Vutek Inkjet Technology

EFI has obtained a victory in its defense of a patent lawsuit filed by Leggett & Platt, Inc. (L&P). The Federal Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, has concluded that all the asserted claims of L&P's patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,755,518) were invalid on multiple grounds.

Leggett & Platt brought the lawsuit during EFI's acquisition of Vutek in May 2005 in the Eastern District of Missouri, asserting that the L&P patent covered Vutek's UV ultra-violet (UV) ink-curing technology. EFI, however, maintained that Vutek was the first to invent and patent the UV technologies in question.

The federal judge sided with EFI, finding that Vutek's UV-curing methods were invented and patented first (U.S. Patent Nos. 6,457,823 and 6,616,355) and, reports EFI, invalidated all of Leggett & Platt's claims in the lawsuit. EFI believes this ruling concludes any issues with this patent.

EFI
www.efi.com

LEGGETT & PLATT
www.lp-digital.com