June 30, 2011 – Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favour of Arlington Industries Inc. against Bridgeport Fittings Inc., requiring Bridgeport to take 30 of its Whipper-Snap Connectors off the market immediately. The 30 Whipper-Snap Connectors were previously found by a jury to infringe Arlington’s patent on its Snap-Tite and Snap2it Connectors.  

This ruling affirms Arlington’s right to a permanent injunction which prohibits Bridgeport from making or selling the 30 infringing Whipper-Snap Connectors.  Arlington was also awarded over $3.5 million in lost profits caused by Bridgeport’s infringing sales.  

The permanent injunction specifically covers the following Bridgeport Whipper-Snap Connectors:  38ASP, GF38SP, SG38ASP, 8400SP, 850SP, 651SP, 802SP, 841SP, GF50SP, 380SP, SG38SP, 846SP, SG38MCIA, SG38SPL, 840SP, 4502SP, 4501SP, 845SPL, BL16ASP, 851ASP, 845SP, 802MCIA, BL16MCIA, 851SP, 845ASP, 8400MCIA, BL16SP, 84690SP, 651SPX, and 802ASP.

“By denying Bridgeport’s latest motion, the Federal Circuit found that Bridgeport did not establish a likelihood of success on the merits of its appeal from the jury’s patent infringement verdict,” stated the press release. “The Federal Circuit also affirmed a lower court’s finding that the public interest would not be harmed by removing Bridgeport’s products from the market because electrical distributors and contractors can instead purchase Arlington’s patented Snap-Tite and Snap2it Connectors,” it continued.

In response to this latest win, Tom Stark, president of Arlington Industries, said: “Bridgeport has infringed Arlington’s Snap-Tite Patent for the past ten years. In fact, this is the second time Bridgeport has been required to take its infringing products off the market. We are pleased the Federal Circuit agreed with us, again, in this latest patent dispute with Bridgeport. Earlier this year, the Court ruled in favor of Arlington in its case against Bridgeport’s Whipper-Snap Duplex Connectors. We plan to file for an injunction against those products very soon.”