The legal tug-o’-war between Epson and Print-Rite continues in China. Print-Rite Fanling Trading Company and one of Print-Rite’s distributors based in Wuhan, China have both received notice that Epson (China) has filed a lawsuit claiming Print-Rite’s patented ink cartridge (pictured) infringes its patents.
Epson’s accusation has already stirred the rumor mill, with some in the industry contacting RT Media to say Epson is merely pointing its finger at Print-Rite in retaliation to the latter’s action which took Epson (China) to the YiChang Intermediate People’s Court against Epson China last year.
The alleged infringement involves a Print-Rite ink cartridge that is a low-volume sales item.
Print-Rite has admitted in a statement passed on to RT Media today that its legal team is actively responding to Epson’s claims in the courts.
The company was quick to hose down any speculation of retaliation. “Epson filed this lawsuit with a sincere wish to protect its own patent rights. As a time-honored corporation, Epson has made a great contribution to the global print industry and deserves our respect.” The Print-Rite statement, which is written in Chinese, states “all patent holders have an active and justifiable commercial right to protect one’s own intellectual property rights.”
According to Print-Rite, the Aftermarket giant is an industry leader that has developed 2,536 patents of its own, and as such, has a high respect for the intellectual property of others, worldwide. Its focus is on manufacturing and selling non-infringing products.
“We are the only company in the industry to have won, twice, the China’s Governmental Patent Award jointly awarded by SIPO and WIPO, the Golden Award of 9th China Patent Awards with the 86T ink cartridge and the Excellence Award of 15th China Patent Awards with the SmarTact toner cartridge. Print-Rite will surely, as always, continue to strengthen ourselves, and lead the industry improvement in a sound direction on the path to innovation and intellectual property rights protection.”
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