Arlington Wins Latest Round in Court Battle with Bridgeport

Aug. 1, 2011
In one of the electrical market's longest-running patent infringement battles, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C.,

In one of the electrical market's longest-running patent infringement battles, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., recently upheld a permanent injunction against Bridgeport Fittings Inc., Stratford, Conn., for a number of its Whipper-Snap Connector products. The order requires Bridgeport Fittings to take 30 of its Whipper-Snap Connectors off the market. The injunction was immediate and in effect until the expiration of Arlington Industries' '050 patent on Dec. 4.

A Bridgeport Fittings press release stated, “For the connectors affected by the injunction, Bridgeport will of course comply with the court order. Bridgeport's Whipper-Snap Connector products are covered by a number of Bridgeport's own patents and (we) will begin producing and offering for sale the affected products on Dec. 5, 2011.”

Tom Stark, president of Arlington Industries, was pleased with the latest court decision and said his company also plans to file an injunction in a related court case regarding Bridgeport Fittings' Whipper-Snap Duplex Connectors.