Katun Responds to Canon’s U.S. Patent Lawsuit
MINNEAPOLIS – (Updated July 21, 2023) – Canon, General Plastic Industrial Co. Ltd., and Katun Corporation have agreed to resolve their disputes relating to certain redesigns of toner supply containers that General Plastic and Katun had previously agreed to stop selling after Canon accused them of infringing Canon’s U.S. Patent Nos. 10,209,667; 10,289,060; 10,289,061; 10,295,957; 10,488,814; 10,496,032; 10,496,033; 10,514,654; 10,520,881; and 10,520,882 in an investigation before the U.S. International Trade Commission and a parallel lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. In one of the disputes, General Plastic and Katun sought a ruling from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that certain redesigns do not infringe any of the above patents and therefore are outside the scope of a general exclusion order that the U.S. International Trade Commission issued in August 2022. After Canon opposed, U.S. Customs and Border Protection ruled in Canon’s favor, finding that General Plastic and Katun had not proved that the submitted redesigns do not infringe Canon’s patents and are subject to the general exclusion order. As part of this settlement, General Plastic and Katun have agreed not to appeal or otherwise challenge that ruling. Also as part of this settlement, General Plastic and Katun have stipulated to a Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction from the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, where Canon had filed a lawsuit accusing one of the redesigns of infringing a different Canon patent, U.S. Patent No. 11,392,056. The Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction prohibits General Plastic and Katun from making, using, selling and offering for sale in the United States, and from importing into the United States, the accused redesign. The terms of the resolution are confidential.
MINNEAPOLIS – (August 24, 2022) – Recently, Canon filed a complaint with the District Court of Minnesota asserting potential patent infringement of one newly-issued Canon patent.
“Katun is confident the products it is selling for use in Canon applications are non-infringing and we will work diligently to reach resolution on the issue with Canon,” said William McIntyre, General Counsel for Katun Corporation.
“Katun continues to lead the aftermarket industry for over 40 years in providing IP-compliant, high-quality products. Working together with our owners, GPI in Taiwan, we continue to invest significant resources into ensuring IP-compliance. This includes using robust processes and procedures, employing several intellectual property specialists, and relying heavily on subject matter expertise.”
About Katun Corporation
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Katun Corporation is one of the world’s leading suppliers of OEM-compatible imaging supplies, photoreceptors, fuser rollers, parts and other products and services for printers, copiers and MFPs. Katun has over 40 years’ experience in the imaging industry and serves approximately 10,000 dealer and distributor customers worldwide. For more information, visit Katun online at www.katun.com.