Michelin files patent infringement lawsuit against Tire Mart

Time: Sep 26th 2017   Copy editor: Tyrefull

Michelin North America Inc. has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Tire Mart Inc., which does business as Braven Off-Road, for alleged patent infringement.

The Greenville, S.C.-based tire maker filed suit Sept. 26 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

According to the complaint, St. Louis-based Tire Mart infringed on Michelin's Patent No. D530,266 (the D'266 patent).

Michelin has held the D'266 tread design patent since October 2006, the complaint said. The products it makes with the D'266 design include BFGoodrich T/A M2 tires, it said.

The company claimed that Tire Mart infringed on the D'266 design in its Ironside line of off-road tires. The complaint includes illustrations of the D'266 design as well as pictures of Ironside tires taken from the Tire Mart website. According to Michelin, the Ironside tread design is close enough to D'266 to deceive the ordinary tire buyer.

"Michelin did not give Tire Mart authorization or license to make, use, offer to sell, sell or import the infringing products," the complaint said.

Michelin sought a permanent injunction against Tire Mart, damages, payment of profits Tire Mart made from the allegedly infringing tires, attorneys' fees and court costs.

Tire Mart declined comment on the lawsuit.

In August 2017, Michelin reached settlements with Azzuro Tire Corp. and Svizz-One Corp., also for alleged patent infringement.

Michelin accused Azzuro and Svizz-One of infringing on U.S. Patent D483,322, the tread Michelin uses for the Latitude Tour tread design.

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