Indiana Intellectual Property Law News

September 30, 2022

Oakley Sues Local Business for Trademark Infringement

Indianapolis, Indiana – The Plaintiff, Oakley, Inc. (“Oakley”), is an American company operating as an independent subsidiary of Luxottica Group S.p.A. Oakley designs, develops and manufactures sports equipment and lifestyle pieces including, sunglasses, sports visors, ski/snowboard googles, watches, apparel, backpacks, shoes, optical frames, and other accessories. Oakley currently holds more than 600 patents for eyewear, materials and performance gear and numerous trademark registrations.

The Defendant, Batter’s Box, LLC (“Batter’s Box”) is an Indiana limited liability company having a principal place of business at 3510 S. Keystone Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. According to the Complaint, Shawn Lessor and Brandi Pierson are listed as principal owners, officers, managers and directors of Batter’s Box. Their website describes them as a state of art, year round, indoor facility with over 20,000 square feet of training area, and 18 multi-use indoor batting and pitching tunnels. It is also reported that Batter’s Box engages in the sale of sunglasses and related accessories at youth sports tournaments in Indiana, as well as through its own retail sporting goods store.

September 27, 2022

Former Employee Sues Kilroy’s for Copyright Infringement

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Indianapolis, Indiana – Plaintiff, Elijah Schwartz (“Schwartz”) filed suit against his former Employer and Defendants, Kilroy’s North America LLC, Kilroy’s Sports, LLC, and Kilroy’s on Kirkwood, LLC (“Kilroy’s”) for Violation of the Wage Payment Act, Breach of Contract, Promissory Estoppel, Unjust Enrichment, Fraud, Declaratory Judgment of Copyright Ownership, and Copyright Infringement.

According to the Complaint, Schwartz began working for Kilroy’s as a server and bartender in August of 2021. He later was offered the position of AV Intern where his duties included services related to Defendants’ social media accounts and digital presence, assistance with their relationship with Barstool Sports, promotion of events, the creation of marketing and advertising content, which included the production, filming, and editing of video and digital content for the Defendants.

September 23, 2022

Rockville Bar Sued for Copyright Infringement for Unauthorized Public Performances

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Rockville, Indiana – Plaintiffs, Broadcast Music Inc. (“BMI”), Cotillion Music, Inc., Terry Stafford Music Co., House of Cash, Inc., Sony/ATV Songs LLC d/b/a Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, Round Hill Music LP d/b/a Round Hill Works, Tokeco Tunes, EMI Blackwood Music Inc., Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Lucky Thumb Music, Noah’s Little Boat Music, Sea Gayle, Music LLC d/b/a New Songs of Sea Gayle, Eldorotto Music Publishing, Big Glass Hitties, Spirit Music Group Inc. d/b/a Spirit of Nashville One have allegedly contacted Thirty Six Saloon, LLC d/b/a Thirty Six Saloon and Mark Vanderheyden over 35 times since April 2019 to discuss their obligations under the Copyright Act without success. Continue reading

September 22, 2022

Orbital Engineering, Inc. Sues Ex-Employee & Competitor for Trade Secret Misappropriation

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Crowne Point, Indiana – The Plaintiff, Orbital Engineering, Inc. (“Orbital”) filed suit against Defendants, DVG Team, Inc. (DVG) and former employee Zachary Topoll (“Topoll”) for Breach of Fiduciary Duty Damages Resulting from Conspiracy, Tortious Interference with Business Relations, Aiding and Abetting Breach of Fiduciary Duty, and Trade Secret Misappropriation.

Per the complaint and their website, Orbital, established in 1969, is a certified veteran owned business, which provides full-service solutions in engineering and design, construction management and QA/QC, safety and asset integrity services. The company services a broad range of industries, including infrastructure, metals, refinery, chemical, pipeline, terminal, gas processing and storage, and utilities. Their expertise is in Transmission & Distribution, Midstream and Downstream Oil, Gas and Chemical and Metals. They have six major offices in Pittsburgh (HQ), Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Houston and various other locations.

DVG, founded in 1999, purports to be a team of professionals with a variety of expertise in areas of public infrastructure planning and construction, private and public utility development, engineering and site design, economic development and real estate development. They are based in Crown Point, Indiana.

September 9, 2022

203 Patent Registrations Issued to Indiana Companies and Persons in August 2022

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued the following 203 patent registrations to businesses and individuals in Indiana during August 2022, based on applications filed by Indiana patent attorneys.

Patent No.	Title
D0962397	Faucet spout
D0962393	Faucet body
D0962391	Faucet
11,432,407	Electrical component package with reinforced molded pins
11,431,040	Arrangement for lithium-ion battery thermal events prediction, prevention, and control

September 6, 2022

Harper Trucks Inc. Sues Competitor for Alleged Patent Infringement

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Goshen, Indiana – The Plaintiff, Harper Trucks Inc. (“Harper”), based out of Wichita, Kansas, have been in business since 1940. Harper advertises to be the world’s largest manufacturer of hand trucks. Harper Trucks are manufactured in a plant of 40,000 square feet with full robotic and new composite-injection capabilities.

The Defendant, Gleason Industrial Products Inc. (“Gleason’), according to their website, was founded in 1946 and is comprised of three manufacturing divisions throughout three states in the Midwest: Algoma Net Company, Gleason Industrial Products, and Precisions Products. Milwaukee Hand Trucks is the name for products manufactured and sold by Gleason Industrial Products. Milwaukee Hand Trucks are produced in Gleason’s manufacturing facilities in Goshen, Indiana and Lincoln, Illinois.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office issued Patent No. 10,864,933 (“933 Patent”) entitled “Four Position Hand Truck” to Harper on December 15, 2020. The patent generally discloses and claims a multi-position hand truck that permits a user to easily change the orientation of the handle and frame among a number of positions making the hand truck extremely useful to a wide variety of uses. Continue reading

September 2, 2022

200 Trademark Registrations Issued to Indiana Companies in August 2022

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

The U.S. Trademark Office issued the following 200 trademark registrations to persons and businesses in Indiana in August 2023 based on applications filed by Indiana trademark attorneys:

Registration No.		Word Mark
6835527		BUYIMMI
6827817		I’M NOT YOUR KITE BITCH
6827793		GATORADE, G, GIT
6827776		SOULFUL KITCHEN
6827602		GATORADE THIRST QUENCHER

August 12, 2022

Amazon.com, Inc. sued for Copyright Infringement and Counterfeiting

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Indianapolis, Indiana – Ifedoo Enigwe (“Enigwe”), of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania filed a complaint against Defendants, Amazon.com, Inc, and Author Solutions Inc. Delaware, A/K/A Authorhouse for copyright infringement and counterfeiting of his work Mixed Blessings.

According to the Complaint, Enigwe and the Defendants entered into a Settlement Agreement in or around January 2006 that “we [Authorhouse] will maintain the ‘live’ state of your book, Mixed Blessings, for one more year (from the date of acceptance) and then turn over the electronic version to you.” Enigwe alleges that Defendant, Amazon.com, Inc. printed and sold copies of Mixed Blessings on January 18, 2020 and February 2021 from its online sales platform.

Therefore, Plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for Copyright Infringement in violation of 17 U.S.C. § 501 et seq. and Counterfeiting.

August 9, 2022

PUMA Sues Competitor for Alleged Trademark and Patent Infringement

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

Indianapolis, Indiana – The Plaintiffs, PUMA SE and PUMA North America Inc. (“PUMA”), are world leaders in the sportswear industry. PUMA SE, based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, is a multi-national company that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories. PUMA North America Inc. is a Delaware Corporation, with its principal place of business in Somerville, Massachusetts and is one of the top five sportswear brands in the world by revenue.

PUMA applied for a Federal Trademark registration under Application Serial No. 97171928 for the mark NITRO for footwear, namely, running shoes, training shoes, and basketball shoes. According to the Complaint, in or around December 2021, PUMA requested the Defendant, Brooks Sports, Inc. (“Brooks”) cease and desist the use of the Mark NITRO mark in connection with footwear. The parties were unable to reach a settlement.

PUMA also alleges that the Brooks shoe the “Aurora BL” infringes upon their Design Patent No. D897,075 and is being sold in connection with the infringing use of PUMA’s NITRO mark.

August 3, 2022

Patent Office Issues 153 Patents to Indiana Citizens in July 2022

By Overhauser Law Offices, LLC

The U.S. Patent Office issued the following 153 patent registrations to persons and businesses in Indiana in July 2022, based on applications filed by Indiana patent attorneys:

11399295	Proactive customer care in a communication system
11398463	Edge interconnect self-assembly substrate
11398305	Patient request system and method
11397189	Methods for determining a tumor margin in a tissue using a desorption electrospray ionization (desi) technique
11397187	IGFBP7 for prediction of risk of AKI when measured prior to surgery