Zippo Manufacturing Company v. Rogers Imports, Inc.

216 F. Supp. 670, 137 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 413, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10309
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedApril 22, 1963
StatusPublished
Cited by87 cases

This text of 216 F. Supp. 670 (Zippo Manufacturing Company v. Rogers Imports, 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
Zippo Manufacturing Company v. Rogers Imports, Inc., 216 F. Supp. 670, 137 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 413, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10309 (S.D.N.Y. 1963).

Opinion

FEINBERG, District Judge.

This case involves the attempt of a manufacturer of a popular cigarette lighter to keep others from imitating the lighter’s shape and appearance. Plaintiff Zippo Manufacturing Company (“Zippo”), a Pennsylvania corporation, alleges both trademark infringement and unfair competition on the part of defendant Rogers, Inc. 1 2**(“Rogers”), a New York corporation, by reason of Rogers’ sale of pocket lighters closely resembling Zippo’s. Plaintiff seeks injunctive relief, an accounting, and damages. Rogers counterclaims for a judgment declaring that plaintiff is unfairly competing with it and also seeks injunctive relief. Jurisdiction of the main action is based both on diversity of citizenship and. a claim under the trademark laws joined with a related claim of unfair competition. 2 Defendant also relies for *672 jurisdiction on the Declaratory Judgments Act, 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201-2202 (1952), as amended, 28 U.S.C. § 2201 (Supp. IY, 1957).

I

Plaintiff Zippo has been primarily engaged in the manufacture of pocket lighters since 1932, 3 and it has grown spectacularly over the years. Its annual national sales of these lighters grew from .about 27,000 units in 1934 to over 3,180,-000 in 1958, the year just prior to suit, and well over 4,000,000 in 1961. Today, Zippo produces more units than any other domestic lighter manufacturer. Its pocket lighters are made in two models, the “standard” and the “slim-lighter.” The latter accounts for slightly less than twenty-five per cent of the number of pocket lighters sold by Zippo.

Prior to World War II, Zippo sold only a standard model, the forerunner of its present standard lighter. This pre-war lighter was covered in part by a patent. 4 This model had a two-member outside case with a snugly fitting insert •containing the mechanical features of the lighter. The bottom member of the outside case had a matching flip-top member hinged to it; both were rectangular with square comers and straight lines. The user opened the top to activate the lighter by striking the flint wheel, and closed the top to snuff out the flame produced in the lighter’s “chimney.” To hold the flip-top in a fully opened or •closed position, the lighter incorporated a spring and cam arrangement which enabled the user to operate the top with •one hand. A most important feature of the lighter was an elliptical chimney or windscreen enclosing the wick, with round air holes punched into its sides in horizontal rows in a three-two-three formation. Attached to one side of the chimney were two square “ears” or lugs, which held the cam in position above a vertical coil spring located underneath the cam in a tube inside the lighter case. The flint wheel was pivotally mounted upon another set of lugs projecting from the other side of the chimney.

Until 1938, the appearance of the lighter was that shown in the illustrations of the Gimera patent. In that year, Zippo slightly altered the internal mechanical operation of its lighter and, for reasons of economy and efficiency, also changed the shape of its lighter in some respects. 5 No change was made in this standard model until 1942, when Zippo began to devote its entire output of lighters to the production of its “war” model. 6 This lighter, embodying the same mechanical features of the immediately pre-war standard model, was finished in a crackle paint. In June 1946, Zippo again returned to "the production of its peacetime standard model and has continued to manufacture it without major change to the present time. 7

A comparison of the present standard with the early Zippo standard model (1934-1938) indicates the following principal changes: the former model had severely square edges and corners and straight lines while the present lighter features slightly rounded edges and corners, a curvature in the shape of a slight arc in the top of the lighter, *673 and a recess in the bottom of the case; in the early model, the leaves of the hinge attaching the top and bottom members of the lighter case were on the outside of the case, but they are now located inside the case; the ears or lugs holding the cam were previously square in shape, but now they are rounded; and while the cam and spring arrangement embodied a vertical coil spring in the old model, a horizontal flat “leaf” spring is now used. 8

In June 1956, Zippo introduced its slim-lighter, a new model designed to appeal to women. 9 This model included the same mechanical features as the standard, but it was noticeably narrower and, therefore, less square and more rectangular in shape. Its dimensions were approximately 2 Ys" x 1%" x compared to 2%" x V/z" x Yz" for the standard. 10

Over the years, Zippo’s sales techniques have included extensive advertising, unconditional guarantees, and free repair service. Since 1949, the company has spent at least $500,000 each year in advertising its products. In 1958, it spent over $700,000, and in two of the next three years, over $1,000,000 per year. 11 Its advertising has appeared in magazines and periodicals of both national and specialized appeal. 12 Zippo’s advertisements of the standard model have featured, among other things, the word “windproof”; 13 the mark “Slim-lighter” has been emphasized in advertising its slim-lighter 14 Zippo’s unconditional guarantee and free repair service have also been highlighted. 15 Throughout its history, Zippo has consistently promised to repair any Zippo lighter free of charge, regardless of its age or condition, 16 and many purchasers have availed themselves of this service. For example, in 1961, almost 460,000 lighters were sent to the company for free repairs. 17

Zippo markets eighty to ninety per cent of its standard and slim-lighters in individual cardboard boxes. 18 These boxes are distinctively designed, and feature the name “Zippo.” 19 Its lighters are primarily sold to the individual consumer in retail marketing channels, although approximately thirty-eight per cent of Zippo lighters are sold to commercial organizations which use the lighters for advertising or public relations purposes. 20

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Bluebook (online)
216 F. Supp. 670, 137 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 413, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10309, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zippo-manufacturing-company-v-rogers-imports-inc-nysd-1963.