JC Bamford Excavators Limited v Manitou UK Limited & Anor

JC Bamford Excavators Limited v Manitou UK Limited & Anor

Claim 1 of EP (UK) 2 263 965 is not invalid over Aichi because both MLD and WRLD in Aichi are LLMCs within the meaning of the claim, and switching between them does not satisfy the disablement feature of the claim, which requires actual disablement to permit unrestricted operation of actuator devices.

Parties
Claimant/appellant: J. C. Bamford Excavators Limited; Defendant/respondent: Manitou UK Limited; Defendant/respondent: Manitou BF S. A.; Amicus: The Comptroller General for Patents, Trade Marks and Designs
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
24 November 2024
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Court of Appeal Judgment
Outcome
Appeal allowed
Legal Topics
Inventive Step, Patent Validity, Obviousness, Patent Construction
Intellectual Property Patent Law Inventive Step Patent Validity Obviousness Patent Construction

Case Brief

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Parties

J. C. Bamford Excavators Limited

Claimant/appellant

Manitou UK Limited

Defendant/respondent

Manitou BF S. A.

Defendant/respondent

The Comptroller General for Patents, Trade Marks and Designs

Amicus

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Court of Appeal Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether claim 1 of EP (UK) 2 263 965 lacks inventive step over Japanese patent application No. 2000-329073 (Aichi)
  2. 2 Proper construction of 'longitudinal load moment control system' (LLMC) in claim 1
  3. 3 Whether disablement of LLMC in Aichi satisfies the disablement feature of claim 1

Ratio Decidendi

Claim 1 of EP (UK) 2 263 965 is not invalid over Aichi because both MLD and WRLD in Aichi are LLMCs within the meaning of the claim, and switching between them does not satisfy the disablement feature of the claim, which requires actual disablement to permit unrestricted operation of actuator devices.

Court Disposition

Appeal allowed

Orders

  • Order for revocation of EP 965 overturned