Value Delivered
A design patent that threatened the launch of the client’s high-value product was successfully invalidated through the discovery of cross-domain prior art. This enabled the client to secure freedom to operate, eliminating a $12 million infringement risk. The company proceeded with its market entry as planned, preventing loss of revenue and market share.
Problem Solved
The humidifier design patent featured a cylindrical base with vent holes that had an inclined spherical top portion with a larger width than the bottom.
Despite exhaustive searches across Locarno, IPC, and CPC classifications, as well as investigations into top appliance manufacturers, no prior art captured all design elements. Conventional methods repeatedly failed to uncover the unique width differential of the patented design.
Solutions Offered
The strategy was shifted from product focus to a broader functional perspective. The team redefined the design’s purpose beyond “humidifiers” and expanded it into adjacent domains such as air purifiers, integrated lamps, and air fresheners.
This led to an unexpected discovery: mosquito repellent lamps had a strikingly similar design. This clue revealed a previously overlooked Locarno class (22-06, Pest Killing), where a mosquito killer lamp design was found to exactly match the contested humidifier patent.
This cross-domain breakthrough provided the clear, convincing evidence required to invalidate the patent.
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