Ricoh Files Patent Infringement Complaint Against Kodak

Ricoh filed a complaint against Kodak before the bankruptcy court alleging post-bankruptcy petition, patent infringement on April 18. The complaint alleges that since filing for protection under Chapter 11, Kodak has infringed several Ricoh-owned U.S. patents including 6,209,048, 6,231,652 B1, 6,256,662 B1, 7,344,326 B2, 7,508,533 B2, 7,712,989 B2, and 7,719,702 B2.

The named products are Kodak’s range of all-in-one desktop inkjet printers, their software, print heads, inks and inkjet cartridges. Ricoh also alleged that Kodak has infringed U.S. patent 7,169,522 by selling various Kodak NexPress production printers and their supplies.

Ricoh is seeking a declaratory judgment of infringement, a permanent injunction that would bar Kodak from further infringement, damages, treble damages because of the “willful nature” of the infringement, interest, and costs. In another court document, Ricoh estimates its damages are at least $14.5 million.

Ricoh also filed a motion seeking to move its infringement complaint from the bankruptcy court to a district court.

Ricoh’s post-petition patent-infringement claim may have been triggered by Kodak’s request that the bankruptcy court issue an order implementing administrative claims and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures to resolve litigation against Kodak. The motion asserts that Kodak has received 6,100 proofs of claims against it now, and 190 are litigation claims. The motion seeks to resolve these claims “in a fair, cost effective, and speedy manner.”

Ricoh filed an objection to Kodak’s ADR motion. Canon and Imation have since filed joinders to Ricoh’s objection. A hearing on the motion has been arranged for May 1.