Allied Erecting & Dismantling Co., Inc. v. Genesis Attachments, LLC

Allied’s patent, “Multiple Tool Attachment System,” is directed to heavy machinery construction and demolition tools, such as metal cutting shears, plate shears, concrete crushers, and grapples, that can be attached to a universal body. Traditionally, such tools were separate. The system has a “quick change feature” for easy conversion to each of several tools. Genesis sought inter partes reexamination, asserting the patent was unpatentable because it was anticipated and obvious over prior art. During reexamination, Allied amended claims and added new claims. A U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiner allowed the amended claims and confirmed patentability. The Patent Trial and Appeals Board concluded that seven claims would have been obvious and allowed Allied to reopen prosecution. Allied submitted a second round of amendments. The examiner found the amendments did not overcome the PTAB’s ground of rejection. The PTAB affirmed, finding that prior art “teaches one of ordinary skill in the art the desirability of simplifying disassembly of jaws, and discloses a mechanism for doing so,” and that a person of ordinary skill in the art could have modified prior art to provide for a “wide range of angular movement.” The Federal Circuit affirmed, stating that substantial evidence supported a finding of motivation to combine prior art references. View "Allied Erecting & Dismantling Co., Inc. v. Genesis Attachments, LLC" on Justia Law