07
Oct
By Eric Schweibenz
On October 6, 2010, the U.S. International Trade Commission issued a press release announcing that it voted to institute an investigation of Certain Toner Cartridges and Components Thereof (Inv. No. 337-TA-740).

The investigation is based on an August 20, 2010 complaint filed by Lexmark International, Inc. of Lexington, Kentucky alleging violation of Section 337 in the importation into the U.S. and sale of certain toner cartridges and components thereof which infringe certain claims in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,337,032, 5,634,169, 5,758,233, 5,768,661, 5,802,432, 5,875,378, 6,009,291, 6,078,771, 6,397,015, 6,459,876, 6,816,692, 6,871,031, 7,139,510, 7,233,760, and 7,305,204.  See our August 25, 2010 post for more details.

According to the Notice of Investigation, the ITC has identified the following entities as respondents in this investigation:

  • Ninestar Image Co. Ltd. (a/k/a Ninestar Technology Co., Ltd.) of China

  • Ninestar Image Int’l, Ltd. of China

  • Seine Image International Co. Ltd. of Hong Kong

  • Ninestar Technology Company, Ltd. of Piscataway, New Jersey

  • Ziprint Image Corporation of Walnut, California

  • Nano Pacific Corporation of South San Francisco, California

  • IJSS Inc. (d/b/a TonerZone.com Inc. and Inkjet Superstore) of Los Angeles, California

  • Chung Pal Shin (d/b/a Ink Master) of Cerritos, California

  • Nectron International, Inc. of Sugarland, Texas

  • Quality Cartridges Inc. of Brooklyn, New York

  • Direct Billing International Incorporated (d/b/a Office Supply Outfitter and The Ribbon Connection) of Carlsbad, California

  • E-Toner Mart, Inc. of South El Monte, California

  • Alpha Image Tech of South El Monte, California

  • ACM Technologies, Inc. of Corona, California

  • Virtual Imaging Products Inc. of Canada

  • Acecom Inc-San Antonio (d/b/a inksell.com) of San Antonio, Texas

  • Ink Technologies Printer Supplies, LLC (d/b/a Ink Technologies LLC) of Dayton, Ohio

  • Jahwa Electronics Co., Ltd. of South Korea

  • Huizhou Jahwa Electronics Co., Ltd of China

  • Copy Technologies, Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia

  • Laser Toner Technology, Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia

  • C & R Services, Inc. of Corinth, Texas

  • Print-Rite Holdings Ltd. of Hong Kong

  • Union Technology Int’l, (M.C.O.) Co. of Macao


Additionally, Rett Snotherly of the Office of Unfair Import Investigations is identified in the Notice of Investigation as the Investigative Attorney assigned to handle this investigation.

Lastly, Chief ALJ Paul J. Luckern issued a notice indicating that ALJ Carl C. Charneski will be the presiding Administrative Law Judge in this investigation.