Ames Shower Curtain Co. v. Heinz Nathanson, Inc.

285 F. Supp. 640, 158 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 549, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12277
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMay 31, 1968
DocketNo. 67 Civil 4884
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 285 F. Supp. 640 (Ames Shower Curtain Co. v. Heinz Nathanson, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ames Shower Curtain Co. v. Heinz Nathanson, Inc., 285 F. Supp. 640, 158 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 549, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12277 (S.D.N.Y. 1968).

Opinion

OPINION

HERLANDS, District Judge:

Defendant moves for summary judgment, pursuant to Rule 56, Fed.R.Civ.P., as to the first cause of action of plaintiff’s complaint on the ground of non-infringement of plaintiff’s design patent, and for dismissal of the second and third causes of action on the ground of lack of jurisdiction. For the reasons hereinafter set forth, the motion is denied in all respects.

The complaint (filed December 13, 1967) states three causes of action: (1) alleging infringement of plaintiff’s design patent, No. D. 209,467, for a shower curtain hook; (2) alleging common-law unfair competition in that defendant sought to “pass off” its goods as being plaintiff’s goods; and (3) for a declaratory judgment, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2201, that plaintiff is not guilty of unfair competition by engaging in certain acts, inter alia, advising its customers that it was seeking patent protection and that it intended to enforce its patent rights.

In its answer (filed January 22, 1968) , defendant alleges that, for a variety of reasons, the patent is invalid and that it has not been infringed.

By notice of motion (filed February 1, 1968) defendant brought on this motion which seeks, in part, a summary judgment dismissing the first cause of action on the ground that, assuming the validity of Design Patent No. 209,467, defendant’s shower curtain hooks do not infringe that patent as a matter of law.

In support of this motion, defendant has submitted affidavits of Heinz Nathanson, president of defendant; Sam Simeti, president of S & V Tool and Die Co., Inc., the manufacturer of the mold for the allegedly infringing shower curtain hook; and Albert Levine, president of Superior Shower Curtain Mfg. Co., Inc., a competitor firm engaged in the manufacture and distribution of shower curtain hooks. Defendant has also submitted a memorandum of law.

Defendant argues that the prior art is similar to the patented design and, therefore, that plaintiff’s patent protection is limited to the exact design shown in the patent; that defendant’s shower curtain hook and plaintiff’s patented design are obviously dissimilar; and that defendant began to develop its hook in December, 1966, completed its mold in May, 1967, did not see or know of plaintiff’s patented design or plaintiff’s shower curtain hook until after May 4, 1967 [Nathanson affidavit, pp. 1-2; Simeti affidavit], and, therefore, defendant could not, and did not, copy the patented design.

Plaintiff did not file a formal cross-motion for summary judgment on the issue of infringement vel non; but plaintiff has made a cross-demand for partial summary judgment on the ground that the defendant has infringed the design patent as a matter of law.

In support of its position, plaintiff has submitted an affidavit of James A. King (president of plaintiff and the inventor of the patented design) as well as a memorandum of law. Plaintiff argues that the prior art is remote from the patented design; that a comparison of the patented design with the defendant’s alleged infringing product clearly demonstrates infringement as a matter of law; that the infringement cannot be avoided by any minor modifications of the patented design; and that, in view of the substantial sales of plaintiff’s hook throughout the country prior to the date defendant says it first saw or knew of plaintiff’s patented design or hook [King affidavit, p. 3], the statements in [642]*642the affidavits submitted by defendant relating to how defendant developed its hook and when defendant first saw the patented design are “open to substantial doubt”. [Plaintiff’s Memorandum of Law, p. 14].

I

As a preliminary matter, the Court must determine the propriety of granting summary judgment in this type of case.

In a patent case, although a district court should “exercise unusual caution” in granting summary judgment, such a judgment should be granted where there are no genuine issues as to any material fact and it is neither necessary nor desirable to hear expert witnesses. Monaplastics, Inc. v. Caldor, Inc., 378 F.2d 20, 21 (2nd Cir. 1967) (validity of patent); Vermont Structural Slate Co. v. Tatko Bros. Slate Co., 233 F.2d 9, 10 (2nd Cir.) (validity — prior art and patent claims “easily understandable by anyone of most modest intelligence”), cert. denied 352 U.S. 917, 77 S.Ct. 216, 1 L.Ed.2d 123 (1956); Aileen Mills Co. v. Ojay Mills, Inc., 188 F.Supp. 138, 140-141 (S.D.N.Y.1960) (design patent infringement); Rubinstein v. Silex Co., 73 F.Supp. 336 (S.D. N.Y.1947) (infringement). Compare Vacheron & Constantin-Le Coultre Watches, Inc. v. Benrus Watch Co., 260 F.2d 637, 641 (2nd Cir. 1958) (design patent—expert testimony necessary as to state of the industry); Filt-O-Pure Products Corp. v. Chemex Corp., 222 F. 2d 424, 425 (2nd Cir. 1955) (design patent—case complicated by multitude of patents, copyrights and trademarks); Bucky v. Sebo, 97 F.Supp. 277, 279 (S.D.N.Y.1951) (infringement—complicated product).

More particularly, where a party moves for summary judgment in a patent infringement ease on the issue of infringement, the Court may disregard the issue of the validity of the patent itself. Aileen Mills Co. v. Ojay Mills, Inc., 188 F.Supp. at 140; Rubinstein v. Silex Co., supra. See Electrical Fittings Corp. v. Thomas & Betts Co., 307 U.S. 241, 59 S.Ct. 860, 83 L.Ed. 1263 (1939); Duplex Electric Co. v. Padua Hold-Up Alarm Corp., 30 F.2d 344 (2nd Cir. 1929). But cf. Tappan Co. v. General Motors Corp., 380 F.2d 888, 890 (6th Cir. 1967).

Finally, there is authority in this circuit for granting summary judgment for the plaintiff herein in the absence of a formal cross-motion for summary judgment. See Local 33, International Hod Carriers etc. v. Mason Tenders etc., 291 F.2d 496, 505 (2nd Cir. 1961).

The Court may, therefore, proceed to the issue of infringement.

II

Congress has provided for the issuance of design patents for the invention of “any new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture * * 35 U.S.C. § 171. Whoever “makes, uses or sells any patented invention” within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 271 infringes the patent. The primary question before this Court is whether, assuming the validity of plaintiff’s patent, defendant’s product infringes plaintiff’s patented design.

Plaintiff’s patent application (filed April 27, 1967) was granted on December 5, 1967 by the United States Patent Office as Design Patent 209,467 (Plaintiff’s Exhibits 1 and 1A; Defendant’s Exhibit IX).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Hughes v. LaSalle Bank, N.A.
419 F. Supp. 2d 605 (S.D. New York, 2006)
William Hodges & Co., Inc. v. Sterwood Corp.
348 F. Supp. 383 (E.D. New York, 1972)
Xerox Corporation v. Dennison Manufacturing Company
322 F. Supp. 963 (S.D. New York, 1971)
Metal Film Company v. Metlon Corporation
316 F. Supp. 96 (S.D. New York, 1970)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
285 F. Supp. 640, 158 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 549, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12277, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ames-shower-curtain-co-v-heinz-nathanson-inc-nysd-1968.