pride mfg. v. evolve golf - complaint

8/20/2019 Pride Mfg. v. Evolve Golf - Complaint

1/20

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE

PRIDE MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

LLC,

Plaintiff,

v.

EVOLVE GOLF, INC.,

Defendant.

)

)

))

)

))

)

))

C.A. No. __________

JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

COMPLAINT

Plaintiff Pride Manufacturing Company, LLC (“Pride”), for its Complaint for

Declaratory Judgement against Defendant Evolve Golf, Inc. (“Evolve Golf”), alleges as follows:

Nature of the Action

1. This is an action for declaratory judgment of non-infringement and

invalidity of a United States design patent, a United States registered trademark, and other

federal, state, and common law claims of trademark infringement and unfair competition. It is

brought pursuant to the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201-02, the patent laws of the

United States, 35 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., and the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq., and for such

further and other relief as the Court deems just and proper.

The Parties

2. Plaintiff Pride is a Delaware limited liability company with a principal place

of business at 155 Franklin Road, Suite 250, Brentwood, TN 37027.

3. On information and belief, Defendant Evolve Golf is a Delaware

corporation with a principal place of business at 15 Court 5 NW Dr., Carolina Shores, NC,

28467.

Case 1:15-cv-01034-UNA Document 1 Filed 11/09/15 Page 1 of 7 PageID #: 1


2/20


3/20

- 3 -

10. Evolve Golf followed up on the July 21 Letter with another letter from Sara

Bauer to Ira Edell, counsel for Pride, dated October 23, 2015. This letter maintained Evolve

Golf’s demands upon Pride.

11. Pride has not infringed and does not infringe any valid claims of the ʼ972

Patent.

12. Pride has not infringed and does not infringe the ʼ419 Mark.

13. Pride has not and does not violate any federal, state, or common law

trademark or unfair competition law with respect to EVOLVEGOLF or EVOLVE.

14.

Evolve Golf’s July 21 Letter and included assertions, along with the October

23, 2015 follow up letter, provide a substantial controversy between parties having adverse legal

interests, of sufficient immediacy and reality to warrant the issuance of a declaratory judgment.

Jurisdiction and Venue

15. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331,

1338(a), 2201, and 2202, the Patent Laws of the United States, 35 U.S.C. § 1, et seq., and the

Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051, et seq. Evolve Golf purports to be the owner of all rights to the

ʼ972 Patent, the ʼ419 Mark and other federal, state, and common law trademarks. Pride has not

infringed, and does not infringe, any valid and enforceable claim of the ʼ972 Patent, the ʼ419

Mark, or any other trademark owned by Evolve Golf. A substantial controversy exists between

the parties which is of sufficient immediacy and reality to warrant declaratory relief.

16. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Evolve Golf in this action as

Evolve Golf is a corporation organized under and subject to the laws of Delaware.

17. This Court also has personal jurisdiction over Evolve Golf as Evolve Golf

has contacts with this forum sufficient to satisfy specific or general jurisdiction under the

Delaware Long-Arm Statute (10 Del. C. § 3104(c)) and the Due Process Clause. In addition to



4/20

- 4 -

being incorporated in Delaware, Evolve Golf does substantial business in Delaware and, on

information and belief, sells substantial products through retailers in Delaware such as Golfsmith

at 60 Goeffrey Drive, Newark, DE 19713; Dick’s Sporting Goods, 1000 Brandywine Parkway,

Wilmington, DE 19803; Golf Galaxy, 1295 New Churchman’s Road, Newark DE 19713; and

Dick’s Sporting Goods, 100 Center Drive Christiana Center, Newark, DE 19702.

18. Venue is proper in this district pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391.

Count One

Declaratory Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ʼ972 Patent

19. Pride incorporates by reference the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1-18

above as if fully set forth herein.

20. Pride has not infringed and does not infringe any valid and enforceable

claim of the ʼ972 patent.

21. As a result of the acts described in the foregoing paragraphs, there exists a

substantial controversy of sufficient immediacy and reality to warrant the issuance of declaratory

judgment.

22. A judicial declaration is necessary and appropriate so that Pride may

ascertain its rights with respect to the ʼ972 Patent.

Count Two

Declaratory Judgment of Invalidity of the ʼ972 Patent



24. The ʼ972 Patent is invalid for failure to meet the conditions of patentability

or otherwise comply with the provisions of one or more of 35 U.S.C. § 100 et seq.



5/20

- 5 -



judgment.


ascertain its rights with respect to the ʼ972 Patent.

Count Three

Declaratory Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ʼ419 Mark



28.

Pride has not infringed the ʼ419 Mark.



judgment.


ascertain its rights with respect to the ‘419 Mark.

Count Four

Declaratory Judgment of Non-Infringement of Any Federal, State, or Common Law

Trademark Rights and No Unfair Competition with EVOLVEGOLF and EVOLVE



32. Pride has not infringed any Federal, State or Common Law Trademark

Rights or Unfairly Competed with EVOLVEGOLF or EVOLVE.



judgment.



6/20

- 6 -


ascertain its rights with respect to the asserted federal, state, and common law rights to

EVOLVEGOLF and EVOLVE.

Prayer for Relief

WHEREFOR, Pride prays for judgment as follows:

A. a declaration that Pride has not infringed and does not infringe any claim of

the ʼ972 Patent;

B. a declaration that the claim of the ʼ972 Patent is invalid;

C. a declaration that Pride has not infringed and does not infringe the ʼ419 Mark;

D. a declaration that the ʼ419 mark is unenforceable

E. a declaration that Pride has not infringed and does not infringe any federal,

state, or common law trademark right and has not competed unfairly with EVOLVEGOLF and

EVOLVE.

F. a finding that this case is an exceptional case, and award Pride its attorneys’

fees pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 285;

G. an award of Pride its costs and expenses; and

H. such further and other relief as this Court deems just and equitable.

Demand for Jury Trial

Pursuant to Rule 38 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Pride hereby

demands a trial by jury for all issues so triable.



7/20


8/20

EXHIBITA

Case 1:15-cv-01034-UNA Document 1-1 Filed 11/09/15 Page 1 of 11 PageID #: 8


9/20

1 2 )

United

States

Design

Patent 1 0 ) P a t e n t

N 0 . 2

D e L i s l e e t a l .

USO0D502972S

US 0 5 0 2 , 9 7 2

s

4 5 ) Date o f P a t e n t : a < a < Mar.

1 5 ,

2005

5 4 )

7 5 )

7 3 )

* * )

2 1 )

2 2 )

5 1 )

5 2 )

5 8 )

5 6 )

GOLF

TEE

I n v e n t o r s : S t e p h e n P . D e L i s l e , C a r o l i n a

S h o r e s ,

NC

U S ) ;

B e n j a m i n

J .

M a l o y ,

C a r o l i n a

S h o r e s , NC

U S )

A s s i g n e e : E v o l v e

G o l f ,

C a r o l i n a

S h o r e s , NC U S )

T e r m :

14 Years

A p p l . N o . : 2 9 / 1 9 6 , 6 5 9

F i l e d : J a n . 2 ,

2 0 0 4

LOC 7 )

Cl.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-02

US.

l.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. .

D21/718

Field

of Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D21/715—720,

D 2 1 / 7 8 9 , 7 9 3 , 7 9 4 , 7 9 6 ; 4 7 3 / 3 8 7 — 4 0 7

R e f e r e n c e s C i t e d

U . S . PATENT DOCUMENTS

6 3 8 , 9 2 0 A

1 2 / 1 8 9 9 G r a n t

7 0 2 , 0 7 8 A 6 / 1 9 0 2 S t o c k d e r , J r .

1 , 5 2 2 , 5 4 4 A

1 / 1 9 2 5

P r y d e

D67,255 S

*

5/1925 Alvord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D21/718

1,638,527 A * 8/1927

Clausing

. . 473/402

1,645,001 A

*

1 0/ 1 927

Hodges

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1/2 3

1 , 6 7 0 , 6 2 7 A 5 / 1 9 2 8 L o w e l l

1 , 6 8 1 , 391

A

*

8 / 1 9 2 8

Bratt

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . 4 73/ 4 00

2 , 0 1 1 , 2 0 3 A 8 / 1 9 3 5 S e i k i

2,455,705 A * 1 2/ 1 94 8 Seager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 73/ 4 02

D161,602

S

*

1 / 1 951 Ward . . . .

. .

D21/718

3 203 700

8/1965

Antonious . . . . . . . . . .. 473/257

3 , 95 4 , 2 6 3

A

* 5/1 976 Whelan t a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 73/ 399

4 , 1 0 3 , 8 8 8 A 8 / 1 9 7 8 R i c k e t t s

4 , 7 8 3 , 0 7 7

A

1 1 / 1 9 8 8

Lemon

5 , 0 8 5 , 4 3 8 A 2 / 1 9 9 2

T a k e n o

5 , 1 5 4 , 4 1 7

A 1 0 / 1 9 9 2 K o h l i

5 , 4 3 1 , 3 9 2

A 7 / 1 9 9 5

C a r s o n

e t a l .

5 , 5 7 1 , 0 5 4

A 1 1 / 1 9 9 6

C h a n t a l

5 , 6 8 3 , 3 1 3 A 1 1 / 1 9 9 7 D i s co e t a l .

5 , 6 9 0 , 5 6 3

A 1 1 / 1 9 9 7

Gammon

D393,301 S

*

4/199 8 Koskela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

D21/718

5 , 7 5 9 , 1 1 8 A

6 / 1 9 9 8 S r o c Z y n s k i

5 , 8 4 4 , 0 6 6 A 1 2 / 1 9 9 8

K a k i Z a W a

5 , 9 1 4 , 3 8 1 A 6 / 1 9 9 9 T e r a d o e t a l .

6 , 0 1 0 , 4 1 3

A

1 / 2 0 0 0

P a n - C h u n g

6 , 0 5 3 , 8 2 2 A 4 / 2 0 0 0

K o l o d n e y

e t a l .

6 , 0 6 2 , 9 9 0 A 5 / 2 0 0 0 P i e r c e

6 , 1 1 0 , 0 5 9

A

8 / 2 0 0 0 H a g g a r t y

6 , 1 3 9 , 4 4 9

A 1 0 / 2 0 0 0 C a r d a r e l l i

6 , 2 3 1 , 9 7 0

B1

5 / 2 0 0 1

Andersen e t a l .

6 , 2 8 0 , 3 5 0

B 1 8 / 2 0 0 1 C h u n g

6 , 3 1 9 , 1 5 6 B1 1 1 / 2 0 0 1 A l e x s e n

6 , 3 4 4 , 0 0 3 B 1 2 / 2 0 0 2 C h o u n g

6 , 4 5 4 , 6 6 9 B1

9 / 2 0 0 2 J a m e s

D485,318 S

* 1/2004 Bonfanti

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. .

D21/718

*

c i t e d

by

examiner

P r i m a r y E x a m i n er — C a t h e r i n e T u t t l e

7 4 ) A t t o r n e y ,

A g e n t , o r

F i r m — M y e r s

B i g e l

S i b l e y

S a j o v e c

5 7 )

CLAIM

The

o r n a m e n t a l

d e s i g n f o r a

g o l f

t e e , a s shoWn a n d

d e s c r i b e d .

DESCRIPTION

F I G .

1 i s a

bottom

p e r s p e c t i v e vieW l l u s t r a t i n g o u r g o l f t e e

d e s i g n ;

F I G . 2

i s

f r o n t vieW shoWing h e d e s i g n on a s l i g h t l y r e d u c e d

s c a l e W i t h r e s p e c t t o F I G . 1 ;

F I G . 3 i s a

s i d e vieW t h e r e o f ;

F I G .

4

i s

a t o p

vieW

shoWing

t h e

d e s i g n on a n e n l a r g e d

s c a l e

W i t h

r e s p e c t

t o t h e p r e c e d i n g ? g u r e s ;

F I G .

5

i s a bottom

vieW

t h e r e o f ;

F I G .

6

i s

a

p a r t i a l

s i d e s e c t i o n vieW t h e r e o f

t a k e n t h r o u g h

l i n e s

6 — 6

o f

F I G .

4 ;

a n d ,

F I G .

7

i s

a p a r t i a l t o p p e r s p e c t i v e

v i e W s h o W i n g

t h e d e s i g n

on a f u r t h e r e n l a r g e d

s c a l e .

The

t e e i s shoWn p a r t i a l l y b r o k e n aWay i n

FIGS.

6 a n d 7 f o r

ease of

i l l u s t r a t i o n .

1

C l a i m ,

7 Drawing S h e e t s



10/20

U.S.

Patent M a r .

1 5 , 2 0 0 5

S h e e t 1 0 f 7

US D502,972

S



11/20

U.S.

Patent M a r .

1 5 , 2 0 0 5

S h e e t 2 0 f 7

US D502,972

S

F I G . 2



12/20

U.S.

Patent M a r .

1 5 , 2 0 0 5

S h e et 3 0 f 7

US D502,972

S

H 6 . 3



13/20

U.S.

Patent M a r .

1 5 , 2 0 0 5

S h e e t 4 0 f 7

US D502,972

S

F I G .

4



14/20

U.S.

Patent M a r .

1 5 , 2 0 0 5

S h e e t 5

0 f

7

US D502,972

S



15/20



16/20

U.S.

Patent M a r .

1 5 , 2 0 0 5

S h e e t 7 0 f 7

US D502,972

S

F I G .

7



17/20


18/20



19/20

CIVIL COVER SHEET

(SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON NEXT PAGE OF THIS FORM.)

. (a) PLAINTIFFS DEFENDANTS

(b)

(EXCEPT IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES) (IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES ONLY)

(c) (Firm Name, Address, and Telephone Number) (If Known)

I. BASIS OF JURISDICTION (Place an “X” in One Box Only) III. CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES (Place an “X” in One Box for(For Diversity Cases Only) and One Box for Defendant

PTF DEF PTF D

(U.S. Government Not a Party) or

and

(Indicate Citizenship of Parties in Item III)

V. NATURE OF SUIT (Place an “X” in One Box Only)CONTRACT TORTS FORFEITURE/PENALTY BANKRUPTCY OTHER STATUTES

PERSONAL INJURY PERSONAL INJURY

PROPERTY RIGHTS

LABOR SOCIAL SECURITY PERSONAL PROPERTY

REAL PROPERTY CIVIL RIGHTS PRISONER PETITIONS FEDERAL TAX SUITS

Habeas Corpus:

IMMIGRATION

Other:

V. ORIGIN (Place an “X” in One Box Only)

(specify)

VI. CAUSE OF ACTION

(Do not cite jurisdictional statutes unless diversity)

VII. REQUESTED INCOMPLAINT:

CLASS ACTION

DEMAND $

JURY DEMAND:

VIII. RELATED CASE(S)IF ANY

(See instructions):

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

PRIDE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC

Paul Saindon 302-658-9200Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP

201 North Market Street; P.O. Box 1347; Wilmington, DE 19899-1347

EVOLVE GOLF, INC.

35 USC § 271

Patent Infringement

1/09/2015 /s/ Paul Saindon


X


20/20

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ATTORNEYS COMPLETING CIVIL COVER SHEET FORM JS 44

I.(a) Plaintiffs-Defendants.

(b) County of Residence.

(c) Attorneys.

II. Jurisdiction.

. ; NOTE: federal question actions take precedence over diversitycases.

III. Residence (citizenship) of Principal Parties.

IV. Nature of Suit.

V. Origin.

VI. Cause of Action. Do not cite jurisdictionstatutes unless diversity.

VII. Requested in Complaint.

VIII. Related Cases.

Date and Attorney Signature.


pride mfg. v. evolve golf - complaint

Documents