U.S. Patent Office Completes Reaffirmance Of f'real's Self-Cleaning Blender Patents
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Nov. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As a key milestone in pioneering the frozen, self-serve milkshake, smoothie and frozen coffee product market, f'real Foods, LLC ("f'real") invented the self-cleaning blender. This invention helped take f'real's business from its founder's garage to the #1 frozen novelty offering in convenience stores throughout the United States and Canada. For this valuable technological advance, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("Patent Office") awarded f'real three U.S. patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 7,144,150 ("'150 patent"), 7,520,658 ("'658 patent") and 7,520,662 ("'662 patent")(collectively "f'real self-cleaning blender patents"). On November 7, 2017, the Patent Office completed its re-affirmance of all three f'real self-cleaning blender patents.
On October 3, 2014, f'real filed a patent enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware to prevent Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. ("Hamilton Beach") and its partner, Hershey Creamery Company ("Hershey Creamery"), from continuing to copy the inventions described in f'real's self-cleaning blender patents. Hamilton Beach responded by petitioning the Patent Office to re-examine the validity of all three f'real self-cleaning blender patents, including two separate petitions filed against f'real's '658 patent. The Patent Office summarily rejected the three petitions Hamilton Beach filed against f'real's '150 and '658 patents.
For f'real's third self-cleaning blender patent, the '662 patent, the Patent Office conducted an evidentiary hearing on July 27, 2017. After considering all the evidence presented at that hearing, the Patent Office issued its Final Written Decision on November 7, 2017, finding that Hamilton Beach failed to show the '662 patent to be invalid. In addition to finding that f'real's self-cleaning blender technology is readily distinguishable from the manual cleaning approaches in the prior blender technology, the Patent Office pointed to the commercial success of f'real's self-cleaning blenders as further proof of f'real's inventiveness.
With the Patent Office now completing its vindication of all three f'real self-cleaning blender patents, f'real will vigorously proceed with its efforts in Delaware District Court to prevent Hamilton Beach and Hershey from continuing to infringe f'real's valuable self-cleaning blender patent rights by seeking a permanent injunction and asking the court to order a recall of all infringing blenders.
President of f'real, Dinsh Guzdar, said, "The Patent Office decisions unanimously vindicate the value and importance of f'real's self-cleaning blender technology. We take patent infringement very seriously and we will continue to protect our proprietary ownership. f'real looks forward to continued innovation and growth as the top novelty product in convenience stores."
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded f'real 16 U.S. patents for its innovative self-serve blender technologies.
About f'real Foods
Established in 1998, f'real Foods designs, sells and markets blended frozen beverages in more than 18,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada including convenience stores, military bases and colleges & universities. The patented in-store blending systems blends delicious and authentic milkshakes, smoothies and frozen coffee products at the touch of a button in under a minute! As the #1 frozen novelty offering in convenience stores, f'real's success can be attributed to continued innovation in the category and quality products, all made with real ingredients. f'real Foods is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rich Products Corporation based in Emeryville, CA. For more information, visit freal.com.
Contact:
Allison Lewin, f'real Foods
[email protected]
510-201-9272
SOURCE f'real foods
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