Saf-Gard Products, Inc. v. Service Parts, Inc.

491 F. Supp. 996, 206 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 976, 7 Fed. R. Serv. 136, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13613
CourtDistrict Court, D. Arizona
DecidedMay 6, 1980
DocketCiv. 70-455 PHX WEC
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 491 F. Supp. 996 (Saf-Gard Products, Inc. v. Service Parts, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Saf-Gard Products, Inc. v. Service Parts, Inc., 491 F. Supp. 996, 206 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 976, 7 Fed. R. Serv. 136, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13613 (D. Ariz. 1980).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

CRAIG, Senior District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The issues of liability in this case have been adjudicated through appeal, Saf-Gard Products, Inc. v. Service Parts, Inc., et al., 370 F.Supp. 257 (D.C.Ariz.1974), aff’d, 532 F.2d 1266 (9th Cir. 1976), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 896, 97 S.Ct. 258, 50 L.Ed.2d 179, 191 U.S.P.Q. 765 (1976). This matter is now on remand for determination of the amount of damages to be awarded plaintiff.

This court’s judgment on liability provided: (a) that the litigated Patent No. 3,601,-181 (Avrea) is valid; (b) that the litigated patent has been infringed by the defendants; (c) that the defendant Service Parts, Inc. has committed acts of unfair competition in conjunction with its manufacture and sale of radiator accessory devices; and, (d) that this is an exceptional patent case under those discretionary portions of the statute which allow for an award of treble damages, interest, attorney’s fees and costs. 35 U.S.C. §§ 284, 285 (R-2257 * ) This decision was appealed by the defendants under the special interlocutory provisions applicable to judgments for patent infringement which are final except for accounting. 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(4). The affirming appellate decision did not specifically address “. . . the district court’s holdings pertaining to unfair competition, for these matters may become moot by reason of the district court’s determination as to damages for infringement in the accounting phase of this trial.” 532 F.2d, at 1273. Because the award in this case is based entirely upon the statutory provisions pertaining to patent damages (35 U.S.C. §§ 284, 285), the unfair competition issues are in fact rendered moot.

The damage issues were tried to the court commencing on March 18, 1980. Upon conclusion of the trial, the matter was taken under advisement, pending submission of memoranda by the parties. These memoranda having been received and reviewed, together with the documentary and testimonial evidence developed at trial; and, the court being fully advised in the premises, reaches the following findings of fact, conclusions of law and judgment:

II. FINDINGS OF FACT

1. The plaintiffs, Saf-Gard Products, Inc. and Walter C. Avrea, are together possessed of the exclusive right to sue for and collect damages for past infringement of *1000 the litigated Patent No. 3,601,181 which issued on August 24, 1971. The plaintiff, Walter C. Avrea, is owner of the entire right, title and interest in and to the litigated patent (PTO-20, paras. 2 and 3). The individual plaintiff has not asserted a separate claim for damages and accordingly the plaintiffs will be hereinafter referred to in the singular.

2. Although this action was originally commenced against some fifteen defendants, only five of the defendants remained at the time of the liability trial, the action having been dismissed with respect to the other ten defendants pursuant to a series of consent judgments. Shortly before commencement of the damage trial, a stipulated judgment was entered against the defendants Balkamp, Inc. and Genuine Parts Company, finding that these defendants “have not manufactured but have sold approximately one hundred thousand (100,000) devices which infringe the litigated patent.” These devices were manufactured and supplied by the defendant Service Parts, Inc. (R-2221). Judgment in the amount of $200,000 was entered against Balkamp, Inc. and Genuine Parts Company on February 13, 1980. The remaining defendants are Service Parts, Inc. (“Service Parts”), Town and Country Chrysler Plymouth (“Town and Country”) and Marvin Hawkes, dba Hawkes Radiator Service (“Hawkes”).

3. The plaintiff does not assert a claim for infringement prior to issuance to the litigated patent and the defendants concede that they are liable for patent infringement in some amount (PTO-20, paras. 4 and 5).

4. The defendant Service Parts manufactured the infringing devices involved in this action (R-2220). Although the defendants Town and Country and Hawkes have sold only a limited number of the devices manufactured by Service Parts, each of these defendants have contested the issues of infringement, validity and damages throughout the ten-year course of this litigation.

5. Between the time the litigated patent issued and the time that the defendants were enjoined from further infringement, the defendant Service Parts manufactured and sold a total of 325,989 infringing devices: 18,088 were sold during 1971 (September through December); 132,971 were sold during 1972; 171,269 were sold during 1973; and, 3,661 were sold during January of 1974 (PX-31.1).

6. Prior to issuance of the litigated patent, the defendant Service Parts sold at least 193,922 devices which embodied the plaintiff’s invention: 4,989 were sold during the last half of 1969; 97,727 were sold during 1970; and, 91,206 were sold prior to September 1, 1971 (PX-31.1). As to these devices, the plaintiff has asserted a claim for damages based upon the prior ruling that Service Parts is liable for unfair competition due to its misappropriation of plaintiff’s trade secrets and its interstate use of a mark confusingly similar to plaintiff’s common law trademark “Coolant Recovery System” (PTO-12, 13).

7. During the years 1969 through 1974 (January), the average selling prices charged by the plaintiff for its patented devices and by the defendant for its infringing devices were as follows (PX-30.2, 31.1, 31.2, 34.1):

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491 F. Supp. 996, 206 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 976, 7 Fed. R. Serv. 136, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13613, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/saf-gard-products-inc-v-service-parts-inc-azd-1980.