Luv N' Care v. Munchkin
Full2015-00872 · US8739993B2
In plain English: The Board reviewed these claims and cancelled all of them.
How to read this page: start with the Case brief above, use (the small numbered links) to open the exact source page they cite, then use Reference material further down for claim-by-claim and ground-by-ground detail.
All challenged claims cancelled
The Board cancelled every claim of Munchkin's spillproof-container patent - and the Federal Circuit affirmed with one word.[14][28]
The '993 patent issues to Munchkin June 3, 2014·Luv N' Care petitions for review of claims 1-7 March 11, 2015·Board institutes on all three grounds September 18, 2015·Oral argument before the Board May 10, 2016·Final written decision: all 7 claims unpatentable September 15, 2016·Federal Circuit affirms without opinion (Rule 36) November 13, 2017
- The '993 patent covers a spillproof container assembly that tells the user when the lid is tightened just right.[7]
- Three grounds, all built on two vintage references: Whiteman alone, Atkins alone, then both together.[2][3][4]
- The Board adopted the petition's own analysis: Whiteman anticipated, Atkins anticipated, and the combination made all seven claims obvious.[8][9][10][12]
- Munchkin appealed, and the Federal Circuit ended the case with a one-word Rule 36 judgment.[30][28][29]
A 2014 patent on sippy-cup lids was undone by a 1963 reference - and the last word the Federal Circuit wrote on it was 'AFFIRMED.'[3][26][28]
- Husch Blackwell Secures Federal Circuit Victory for Luv N' Care
Husch Blackwell · November 14, 2017
- Munchkin and the Recovery of Attorneys' Fees from PTAB Proceedings
Finnegan · June 1, 2019
- Client Luv N' Care Awarded Attorney Fees Based on Husch's Successful Defense Against Patent Infringement Case
Husch Blackwell
Reference material
Claim-by-claim and ground-by-ground records underlying the brief above.
| Claim | Ground 1: §102 — Whiteman US3101856 | Ground 2: §103 — Whiteman US3101856, Atkins US4230232 | Ground 3: §102 — Atkins US4230232 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unpatentable[1] | Unpatentable[2] | Unpatentable[3] |
| 2 | Unpatentable[1] | Unpatentable[2] | Unpatentable[3] |
| 3 | Unpatentable[1] | Unpatentable[2] | Unpatentable[3] |
| 4 | Unpatentable[1] | Unpatentable[2] | Unpatentable[3] |
| 5 | Unpatentable[1] | Unpatentable[2] | Unpatentable[3] |
| 6 | Unpatentable[1] | Unpatentable[2] | Unpatentable[3] |
| 7 | Unpatentable[1] | Unpatentable[2] | Unpatentable[3] |
- [1] Paper 56 at 9-10
- [2] Paper 56 at 13-15
- [3] Paper 56 at 11-13
- Ground 4: §103Not instituted
Atkins US4230232, Whiteman US3101856, Montgomery US3894647, Ahrens US4691833
Claims 1-7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 5: §102Not instituted
Fitjer US5141347
Claims 1-7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 6: §103Not instituted
Fitjer US5141347, Whiteman US3101856, Montgomery US3894647, Ahrens US4691833, Atkins US4230232
Claims 1-7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 7: §102Not instituted
Montgomery US3894647
Claims 1-7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 8: §103Not instituted
Montgomery US3894647
Claims 1-7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 9: §102Not instituted
Dujardin US5992656
Claims 1-5, 7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 10: §103Not instituted
Dujardin US5992656
Claims 1-7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 11: §102Not instituted
Ahrens US4691833
Claims 1-6
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted) - Ground 12: §103Not instituted
Ahrens US4691833
Claims 1-7
Paper 9 at 15-16; denied as redundant under 37 C.F.R. § 42.108(a) (sentence spans page break, excerpt omitted)
- Paper 1Paper 1 · Petition
- US8739993Other
- Paper 9Paper 9 · Institution Decision
- Paper 56Paper 56 · Final Written Decision
- 2017-1179 (Rule 36 affirmance)Federal Circuit Opinion