Unidynamics Corporation d/b/a Crane National Vendors v. Automatic Produscts Internation, LTD. and Gross-Given Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Patent infringement. Unidynamics held a patent on a vending machine for dispensing refrigerated and unrefrigerated foods.





































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Patent infringement. Unidynamics held a patent on a vending machine for dispensing regrigerated and unrefrigerated foods.

Verdict for plaintiff on one claim

Unknown

Unknown

The above date is for the appellate decision. The court found that the phrase "sprinng means tending to keep the door closed" contained functional language, "tending to kepp the door closed," that modified structural language, "spring," and was this not written in means-plus-function language under 35 U.S.C. Section 112, Para 6 (1994). The court also concluded that the claim limitation required a spring that has "the effect of both keepiing the door closed and closing the door, in order for the word 'tending' to have meaning within the context of the patent as a whole. The alleged infringement of LCM4 has two versions, one where a magnet keeps the can loading door closed, and another later version with a padded bracket moounted on the manin cabinet door of the vending machine to kepp the can loading door closed when the main cabinet door of the machine is closed. The magnet and the bracket then keep the door closed. Under either literal ingringement or the doctrine of equivalents, no genuine issues remain. The court granted Automatic Products' cross-motion for summary judgment of noninfringement of the '750 patent, and denied Unidyamics' motion for summary judgment of infringement of the '750 patent. Affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded.