Depuy, Inc. v. Zimmer Holdings, Inc.

343 F. Supp. 2d 675, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22240, 2004 WL 2496696
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedNovember 3, 2004
Docket02 C 4023
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 343 F. Supp. 2d 675 (Depuy, Inc. v. Zimmer Holdings, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Depuy, Inc. v. Zimmer Holdings, Inc., 343 F. Supp. 2d 675, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22240, 2004 WL 2496696 (N.D. Ill. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

BUCKLO, District Judge.

Plaintiff DePuy, Inc. (“DePuy”) alleges that defendants Zimmer Holdings, Inc. and Zimmer, Inc. (collectively, “Zimmer”) have infringed its patent No. 5,370,706 (the“ ’706 Patent”). The then pleaded claims and defenses of the parties and the court’s initial construction of the patent claims invoked are set forth in my published memorandum opinion and order, DePuy, Inc. v. Zimmer Holdings, Inc., 276 F.Supp.2d 910 (N.D.Ill.2003). On March 12, 2004, I entered a minute order granting DePuy’s motion for reconsideration of a portion of my prior opinion insofar as it dealt with construction of the limitation “different size and shape” as used in the ’706 Patent. I also granted leave to Zimmer to file a supplemental amended answer, affirmative defenses and counterclaims in response to the complaint. I will not restate the facts and claims of the parties except as may be necessary for an understanding of the rulings set forth below.

The ’706 Patent concerns a hip replacement prosthesis system consisting of multiple pieces which can be interchangeably fitted together to form an appropriately-sized prosthesis. DePuy alleges that Zim-mer’s ZMR Hip System, which also con *679 sists of a multiple-piece hip prosthesis system, infringes the ’706 Patent.

Before the court are the following motions: Zimmer seeks summary judgment on the alternative grounds that its system does not infringe the ’706 Patent and that the Patent is invalid. DePuy’s cross-motions for partial summary judgment ask this court to rule as a matter of law that the ’706 Patent is not invalid on the basis of two pieces of prior art, that Zimmer cannot establish its defense of inequitable conduct, and that Zimmer cannot establish its defense of patent misuse or its antitrust counterclaim. DePuy also moves to strike and exclude from evidence certain documents which Zimmer offers as proof that the ’706 Patent is invalid for anticipation and obviousness. Zimmer asks this court to rule on certain issues relating to licensing and remedies.

Summary judgment is appropriate where the record and affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Lexington Ins. Co. v. Rugg & Knopp, 165 F.3d 1087, 1090 (7th Cir.1999); FED. R. CIV. P. 56(c). I must construe all facts in the light most favorable to the non-moving party and draw all reasonable and justifiable inferences in favor of that party. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

I.

The claims that DePuy alleges Zimmer has infringed are as follows:

l. 1 A kit for the assembly of a modular bone joint prosthesis for the replacement of a head, neck, and adjacent portions of a bone, the kit comprising at least two stems, with each stem sized for insertion into a cavity of the bone, at least two bodies, with each body sized to replace a portion of the bone, and with each body configured to be joined in fixed attachment to one of the at least two stems, at least two head members, with each head member sized to replace a head portion of the bone, and means for fixedly attaching one of the at least two head members to one of the at least two bodies.
11. The Kit of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two stems has a different size and shape as another of the at least two stems.
12. The Kit of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two bodies has a different size and shape as another of the at least two bodies.
13. The Kit of claim 11, wherein one of the at least two bodies has a different size and shape as another of the at least two bodies.

Zimmer argues that its product has no “means for fixedly attaching” a head to a body, as specified by claim 1. DePuy alleges that Zimmer’s product has a piece, an integrated body and neck, that provides the means for attaching the body to a head.

An infringement analysis involves two steps. J & M Corp. v. HarleyDavidson, Inc., 269 F.3d 1360, 1366 (Fed.Cir.2001). First, the court must, as a matter of law, determine the scope and meaning of the claims through claim construction. Id. Second, the properly construed claims must be compared to the allegedly-infringing device. Id. A means-plus-func *680 tion claim limitation, such as the one challenged here, is subject to the requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6. Odetics, Inc. v. Storage Tech. Corp., 185 F.3d 1259, 1266 (Fed.Cir.1999). “Literal infringement of a § 112, ¶ 6 limitation requires that the relevant structure in the accused device perform the identical function recited in the claim and be identical or equivalent to the corresponding structure in the specification.” Id. at 1267. Whether an accused device meets the requirements for equivalence under § 112, ¶ 6 is a question of fact. Id. at 1268.

The function here is not in dispute: a means for fixedly attaching a head to a body. However, the parties raise a question of material fact as to the rest of the § 112, ¶ 6 test: the “way” the structures in the ’706 Patent and the accused device fulfill the function (if at all), and the “result.” See Odetics, 185 F.3d at 1267. Zimmer argues that the integrated body-neck offered in its product is structurally and functionally different from the integrated head-neck and separate neck options offered within the specifications of the ’706 Patent. DePuy offers testimony that any differences are insubstantial, bringing the Zimmer device within the range of § 112, ¶ 6 equivalents. This question of fact is normally for the jury.

Zimmer argues, however, that DePuy has disclaimed the integrated body-neck and cannot therefore now claim that such a structure is within the scope of the ’706 Patent. Claims may not be expanded to include structures that were disclaimed, expressly or implicitly. SciMed Life Sys., Inc. v. Adv. Cardiovascular Sys., Inc., 242 F.3d 1337, 1345 (Fed.Cir.2001). DePuy never expressly disclaimed an integrated body-neck structure, but noted the disadvantages of that option as compared to DePuy’s preferred option of a separate neck. DePuy’s language merely points out the advantages of its preferred embodiment of its invention, rather than stating that prior embodiments were unsuited for or unable to perform the function. This is neither an explicit nor an implied disclaimer. Clearstream Wastewater Systems, Inc. v. Hydro Action, Inc.,

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

Related

Stowe Woodward, L.L.C. v. Sensor Products, Inc.
230 F.R.D. 463 (W.D. Virginia, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
343 F. Supp. 2d 675, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22240, 2004 WL 2496696, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/depuy-inc-v-zimmer-holdings-inc-ilnd-2004.