Great news for Puritan customers and distributors! Germany's Düsseldorf Court has ruled that Puritan’s flocked swab products (the HydraFlock® and PurFlock Ultra® flocked swabs) are flocked differently from Copan’s and do not violate Copan’s European patents.
This ruling ensures unprejudiced freedom for Puritan distributors and customers to sell Puritan’s HydraFlock® and PurFlock Ultra® flocked swabs in Europe free from any patent infringement concerns.
Background and Summary
In November 2012, Copan Italia S.p.A. started inspection proceedings alleging that Puritan was infringing on their proprietary flocking method, which requires that swabs be flocked “in an ordered arrangement normal to the surface of the swab.”
After thorough inspection, the court ruled that Puritan’s flocked swabs do not have fibers in an ordered arrangement normal to the surface of the swab.
In light of the clear position expressed by the Court, Copan irrevocably withdrew the inspection proceedings against Puritan. In addition, the Court ordered that Copan must reimburse Puritan for all attorney fees incurred under applicable German law with respect to the inspection proceedings. Click here to read the full press release.
