OEM Oven Racks Lawsuit Dismissed Apr 29, 2010

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A U.S. court ruled that SSW Holding Company and subsidiary American Appliance Products oven racks, sold to Whirlpool, General Electric, and Electrolux, do not violate patents held by Accuride International. The judge also ruled the Accuride patents invalid.

Accuride filed suit against SSW and AAP in federal court in May of 2009, claiming that extending oven racks sold by SSW and AAP to several appliance makers infringed two patents held by Accuride. Accuride’s complaint sought damages and an order enjoining any future sales of the extending racks.

But this week Judge Percy Anderson of the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted summary judgment against all claims of patent infringement in a lawsuit filed by Accuride. Judge Anderson’s decision and order ruled that no patent infringement took place and that Accuride’s two patents were in fact invalid.

"The ruling effectively ends the lawsuit at the district court level, except for any post-judgment activity, including a final determination by the Court of the costs that it has ordered Accuride to pay to SSW and AAP," said Paul M. Kara, president and CEO of SSW and AAP.

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