A Recent Federal Court Decision: Interlocutory Injunction – Prior Art
ARECENTFEDERALCOURTDECISION:INTERLOCUTORYINJUNCTION-PRIORART
by
DarioPietrantonio
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InthematterofDecopoInc.v.LeGroupeCanamManacInc.(Quebec
SuperiorCourt,No.:505-05-002699-962,May21,1997,yetunreported),
Decopo,benefittingfromitsrightsunderapatentpertainingtoacollapsable
andself-loadingtrailerfortheforestryindustry,hadinitiatedinfringement
proceedingsandwasseekinganinterlocutoryinjunctionenjoiningLe
GroupeCanamManac(“Canam”)frommanufacturingandsellingasimilar
trailer.
Canamadmittedhavingclearlyandintentionallycopiedpetitioner’strailer
butdeniedallallegationsofinfringementduetothefactthatthelatter’s
patentwasinvalidbasedonpriorart.Infact,respondentallegedthat
Decopo’spatentedtrailerwassimplyarehashingofanalmostidenticaland
non-patentedtrailerbuiltbyanothermanufacturer(Gaymor)duringthe
1970©s.Canamarguedthat,havingalreadyenteredthepublicdomain,the
trailerwasnolongersubjecttopatentprotectionatthetimeofpetitioner’s
applicationandtherebythevalidityofthepatentwasundermined.
ThehonorableJean-PierreSenecal,S.C.J.,indicatedthatwhilethedistinctive
featureofpetitioner’strailerwasthefactthatitwascollapsable,and
thereforeeasiertodisplace,thiswasalsotrueoftheGaymortrailer.
Furthermore,theCourtindicatedthattheprincipalsofafreemarket
economy,astheyapplyinCanada,donotprohibitcompetitorsfrom
copyingeachothersproductsunlesssameareprotectedbystatuteorthe
moregeneralprincipalsofpassing-offandunfaircompetition.TheCourtalso
wentontonotethatonlythepetitioner’srightsunderthepatenthadbeen
raisedinthecaseatbar.
AlthoughadmittingtheexistenceofsimilaritiesbetweentheGaymorproduct
anditsowntrailer,Decopoarguedthevalidityofitspatentduetothefact
thatitstrailerincorporatedmanyinnovativefeatureswhencomparedtoits
predecessor.Whileacknowledgingthepresenceofthealleged
improvements,SenecalS.C.J.emphasizedthatsamewerenotthesubjectof
anyofthepatent’sclaims.Quitetothecontrary,SenecalS.C.J.concluded
that,asdrafted,thepatentwasattemptingtosecureexclusiverightsoverthe
featureswhichhadfirstbeenintroducedbytheGaymorproductwellover
twodecadespriortothefilingofpetitioner’spatentapplication.Ineffect,
thecourtsawthepatent’sclaimsasbeingtoowideandthereforefailingto
addressthespecificinnovativeaspectsoftheDecopotrailerwhichmayvery
wellhavebeenpatentablebeforetheirintroductiontothemarket.
TheCourtbrieflyreviewedthecriteriaapplicabletorequestsforinterlocutory
injunctionsasset-outinSocietededeveloppementdelaBaie-Jamesv.
Kanatewat,[1975]R.J.Q.2755(C.A.)166,whichitsummarizedasfollows.Are
petitioner’sright:(i)clear,(ii)doubtfulor(ii)nonexistent.Ifthepetitionerhasa
clearright,theonlyotherrequirementforobtaininganinterlocutoryinjunction
isthatitsufferirreparableharm.Ifthepetitioner’rightisdoubtful,thecourtwill
thenhavetoconsiderthebalanceofinconveniencefromapetitionerversus
respondentperspective.Intheeventthatpetitioner’srightisnonexistent,the
courtwillsimplyrefusetoissueaninterlocutoryinjunction.
Havingqualifiedthepetitioner’spatentasnotappearingtobevaliddueto
theexistanceoftheGaymortrailer,theCourtconcludedthatpetitioner’s
rightsfellundertheheadingofnonexistentandthereforerejecteditsmotion.
Publishedat(1997),11W.I.P.R.225-226underthetitleInterlocutoryInjunction
PetitionRejectedDuetoPriorArt.
LEGERROBICRICHARD,1997.
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