Dorman Products, Inc. v. Paccar, Inc.

201 F. Supp. 3d 663, 2016 WL 4440322, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111985
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedAugust 23, 2016
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 13-6383
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 201 F. Supp. 3d 663 (Dorman Products, Inc. v. Paccar, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dorman Products, Inc. v. Paccar, Inc., 201 F. Supp. 3d 663, 2016 WL 4440322, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111985 (E.D. Pa. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

DuBois, United States District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

This case involves three design patents owned by PACCAR, Inc. PACCAR designs and manufactures heavy duty trucks. [671]*671Dorman Products, Inc., which supplies automotive replacement parts, filed a Complaint against PACCAR in this Court. In the Complaint, Dorman seeks a declaratory judgment of patent invalidity as to one of the patents owned by PACCAR and claims that PACCAR engaged in unfair competition and various business torts by sending cease-and-desist letters to Dor-man’s vendors. PACCAR alleges in its Answer and Counterclaims that the aftermarket replacement headlights sold by Dorman infringe on three of PACCAR’s design patents, claiming both infringement under 25 U.S.C. § 271 and willful infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 284. In response to PACCAR’s counterclaims, Dorman raises, inter alia, various invalidity defenses and the defense of non-infringement.

Presently before the Court are the parties’ Motions for Summary Judgment and Daubert Motions. Following oral argument, the Court disposes of the Motions as set forth below.

II. BACKGROUND

A. Patents in Suit

PACCAR designs and manufactures heavy-duty trucks including Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks. PACCAR owns U.S. Design Patents Nos. 426,905, 525,731, and 526,429.

1. Patent No. DJf.26,905

United States Design Patent No. 426,-905 (“the ’905 patent”) was issued on June 20, 2000, and claims “[t]he ornamental design of an exterior surface configuration of a truck headlight, as shown and described.” Dorman Mot. for Summ. J., Ex. 1. The ’905 patent includes five figures depicting various perspectives of the claimed design for a left truck headlight. In addition, the patentee explains “[t]he design envisioned contains a second portion whose image is mirror symmetrical to the one shown.” Figure 1 of the ’905 patent is shown below.1

[[Image here]]

It is PACCAR’s position that the ’905 patent claims the ornamental design that is commercially embodied in the surface lens of the headlight on PACCAR’s Peter-bilt 386/387 trucks. See, e.g., PACCAR [672]*672Mot. for Summ. J., Statement of Material Facts ¶ 86.

2. Patent No. D525,731

United States Design Patent No. 525,-731 (“the ’731 patent”) was issued on July-25, 2006, and claims “the ornamental design for a truck headlamp, as shown and described.” Dorman Mot. for Summ. J., Ex. 3. The ’731 patent includes fourteen figures depicting various perspectives of the claimed design for a left and right truck headlight. Figure 1 of the ’731 patent is shown below.

It is PACCAR’s position that the ’731 patent claims the ornamental design that is commercially embodied in the headlight used on PACCAR’s Kenworth T660 truck. See, e.g., PACCAR Mot. for Summ. J., Statement of Material Facts ¶ 87.

3. Patent No. 1)526,4.29

United States Design Patent No. 526,-429 (“the ’429 patent”) was issued on August 8, 2006, and claims “[t]he ornamental design for a surface configuration of [sic] truck headlamp, as shown and described.” Dorman Mot. for Summ. J., Ex. 2. The ’429 patent includes fourteen figures depicting various perspectives of the claimed design for a left and right truck headlight. Figure 1 of the ’429 patent is shown below:

[673]*673[[Image here]]

It is PACCAR’s position that the ’429 patent claims the ornamental design that is commercially embodied in the surface lens of the headlight used on PACCAR’s Kenworth T660 truck. See, e.g., PACCAR Mot. for Summ. J., Statement of Material Facts ¶ 88.

B. Dorman’s Replacement Parts

Dorman is an automotive replacement parts supplier to the aftermarket and mass merchandise markets. PACCAR Mot. for Summ. J., Statement of Material Facts ¶ 8. Dorman manufactured and sold replacement headlights for (1) Peterbilt 386/387 trucks, as Dorman Products Nos. 888-5403 and 888-5404, and (2) Kenworth T660 trucks, as Dorman Products Nos. 888-5401 and 888-5402. PACCAR Mot for Summ. J., Statement of Material Facts ¶ 10-11. Dor-man sells its parts to various automotive parts retailers. PACCAR Mot. for Summ. J., Statement of Material Facts ¶ 8.

C. Procedural History

On September 24, 2013, PACCAR, through counsel, sent a letter to Dorman alleging that Dorman’s' replacement headlights for Peterbilt 386/387 and Kenworth T660 trucks infringed the ’905, ’731, and ’429 patents. Dorman Mot. for Summ. J., Ex. 69. PACCAR demanded that Dor-man stop selling the replacement parts. Id. On October 3, 2013, Dorman, through counsel, responded that it was reviewing PACCAR’s contentions. Dorman Mot. for Summ. J., Ex. 70.

On October 22, 2013, PACCAR, through counsel, sent cease-and-desist letters to three of Dorman’s retailer customers, O’Reilly Automotive, Inc., Fleet Truck Parts, and Raney Truck Parts, Inc. Dor-man Resp. to PACCAR Mot. for Summ. J„ Exs. 12, 13, 15. These letters demanded that the retailers cease selling Peterbilt 386/387 and Kenworth T660 replacement headlights manufactured by Dorman and alleged that sale of the headlights constituted infringement of PACCAR’s design patents. Id. PACCAR sent a second cease- and-desist letter to O’Reilly on November 1, 2013. Dorman Mot. for Summ. J., Ex. 72.

On November 1, 2013, Dorman filed a Complaint in this Court. In its Complaint, Dorman sought a declaratory judgment under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201 and 2202 that the ’905 patent was invalid. Dorman also asserted tort claims: (1) for unfair competition under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125(a); (2) for unfair competition under the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (“UTPCPL”), 73 P.S. § 201 et seq., and [674]*674Pennsylvania common law; and (3) for tor-tious interference with business relations under Pennsylvania common law.

On November 14, 2013, PACCAR filed an Answer and Counterclaims. In its Counterclaims, PACCAR asserted claims for infringement of the ’905, ’731, and ’429 patents. PACCAR also asserted claims for willful infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 284. On December 5, 2013, Dorman filed an Answer to PACCAR’s counterclaims and asserted, inter alia, the invalidity of the ’731 and ’429 patents.

The Court has jurisdiction over Dor-man’s declaratory judgment claim and PACCAR’s patent infringement counterclaims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1338. The Court has jurisdiction over Dor-man’s tort claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C.

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201 F. Supp. 3d 663, 2016 WL 4440322, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111985, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dorman-products-inc-v-paccar-inc-paed-2016.