AmTab Mfg. Corp. v. SICO, Inc., No. 11 C 2692, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. March 29, 2012) (Darrah, J.).

Judge Darrah construed the disputed terms of the patent in suit related to a stool attaching to a folding table.  Of particular note, the Court held as follows:

  • “An elongate seat post having a substantially uniform cross section mating with the support mount” was construed as “a seat post with an unvarying or nearly unvarying cross section for the entire length of the seat post mating with the seat mount.”
  • “An at least substantially vertical extent of the seat post having a noncircular cylindrical surface” was construed as “the portion of the seat post that is vertical or nearly vertical has a noncircular cylindrical shape for the entire length of that portion.”
  • “[A]t least partially inserted into the other noncircular cylindrical surface” did not require construction, its ordinary meaning was clear.
  • “[A]ligned non-circular cylindrical surfaces” did not require construction, its ordinary meaning was also clear.