TOKYO, September 4, 2015—Canon Inc. announced today the issuance of a General Exclusion Order (“GEO”) by the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) in Investigation No. 337-TA-918, pertaining to certain toner cartridges and photosensitive drum units sold for use in Canon and Hewlett-Packard laser beam printers. The GEO prohibits from entry into the U.S. toner cartridges and components thereof that infringe certain specified claims of Canon's U.S. Patent Nos. 8,280,278, 8,630,564, 8,682,215, 8,676,090, and 8,688,008 for the lives of those patents, irrespective of the source of the products. The specified claims include both claims directed to toner cartridges and claims directed to photosensitive drum units. The ITC also issued cease and desist orders against many of the Respondents named in the Investigation, prohibiting the sale of infringing toner cartridges and components thereof that have already been imported into the U.S.
In its Opinion accompanying the GEO, the ITC determined that a GEO is necessary both to prevent circumvention of an exclusion order limited to products of named persons and because there is a pattern of infringing conduct and it is difficult to identify the source of the infringing products.
Canon filed the complaint that led to the subject Investigation on May 7, 2014, naming 33 Respondents, including manufacturers, importers, and distributors of toner cartridges and photosensitive drum units. On May 13, 2015, the Administrative Law Judge presiding over the Investigation determined that Canon had proven violations of its patent rights, and the ITC adopted those findings and issued the GEO and cease and desist orders on August 31, 2015.
Throughout the development, sales, and marketing process, Canon respects the intellectual property of other companies and individuals and expects these entities to similarly respect Canon's intellectual property rights. Canon remains committed to pursuing legal enforcement against those who do not respect Canon's intellectual property.
