Footwear maker CROCS Inc announced that it has received four patents covering various aspects of its footwear. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently issued the patents, which cover utility aspects applicable to a number of its footwear models and design elements of its Beach, Cayman, Nile and Highland models.
Crocs's U.S. Patent No. 6,993,858 B2 issued on February 7, 2006, and U.S. Patent Nos. D517,788, D517,789 and D517,790 issued on March 28, 2006. Crocs has also filed additional design patents applications for a number of its other footwear models.
The Company also announced that it has filed complaints with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and the U.S. Federal District Court against 11 companies that manufacture, import or distribute products that Crocs believes infringe U.S. Patent Nos. 6,993,858 and D517,789, as well as Crocs's distinctive trade dress .
Crocs's ITC complaint seeks a permanent exclusion order to prohibit all future importation of infringing goods, as well as cease and desist orders to prohibit the sale of infringing goods already present in the United States. The U.S. District Court complaint, which was filed in Denver, Colorado, seeks a permanent injunction against infringement as well as monetary damages.
In addition to the four patents announced (and other pending U.S. applications), Crocs has either received or applied for patent protection covering a variety of its models in other regions ofthe world, including the European Union, Asia, South America, Australia and Canada.
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