Shock Doctor Settles Mouth Guard Dispute

Last year, Shock Doctor Inc. sued XO Athletic Co. over a protective mouth guard.  Shock Doctor maintained that XO Athletic had infringed on a patent relating to their Gel Max Mouthguard, and Shock Doctor even went so far as to challenge a redesign of XO Athletics’ mouth guard as well.  However, as reported by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, the two have come to terms on an agreement.

Under the agreement, XO Athletic decided to comply with a permanent injunction against their product, preventing them from infringing on the mouth guard.  The injunction was originally ordered by a district court in Minnesota and was only preliminary.  The injunction was also upheld after an appeal, but has now become permanent with XO Athletic’s consent.

Steven Coopersmith, senior vice president of marketing for Shock Doctor, said the following:

The Gel Max Mouthguard is one of our flagship products and reflects our commitment to creating superior products that protect all athletes.  Shock Doctor invests heavily in research and collaboration with medical professionals to develop technologically advanced gear, and this result supports our ability to continue to do so.

Reebok Battling Pair of Patent Lawsuits

Lacrosse equipment manufacturer, STX LLC, has filed a lawsuit against Reebok, alleging the Canton, Massachusetts-based company of infringing on patents for lacrosse sticks.  STX claims that their 6K ILL lacrosse sticks infringe on a 2004 patent, but Reebok began selling their own version this past fall.  According to the Patriot Ledger, STX is asking for an injunction plus other damages.

In another recently filed lawsuit, William Cummings and Jay Levine are claiming patent infringement for a “stabilizer athletic shoe.”  In addition to naming Reebok, the suit also names Reebok’s parent Adidas USA, as well as Nike, New Balance, and Under Armour.

Apparently, the patent in question describes an athletic shoe that includes features that increase foot and ankle stability to minimize injuries.  The lawsuit is seeking an injunction against the named companies, as well as damages and attorney’s fees.

Edward Haddad, New Balance’s vice president of intellectual property, said the following:

[Our company] respects the intellectual property rights of all individuals and companies.  During our development process, we do extensive research to ensure we do not infringe on the patents of others.  However, we will go through our due diligence to review Mr. Cummings’ claims and respond to the lawsuit accordingly.

Teen Goalie Applies for Design Patent to Shutout Opposition

Athletes are always looking for a competitive edge.  Only a few, however, have the motivation and know how to create an edge all by themselves.

One such athlete is high school senior Trevor Leahy, who is a hockey goaltender for Pingree School in Massachusetts.  As reported on Boston.com, Leahy recently used computer skills he learned in a graphic design class to sketch new leg pads that blend into the goal netting behind him.  He wanted pads, a trapper, and blockers that are white with a raised double-stitched design, just like the goal.  As Leahy said, “When the shooter comes down and only has a split second to shoot the puck, they’re looking for net.  If you put the net on the pad, they’ll shoot at the pad instead of the goal.”

Darren Stomp, a custom pad maker from Ontario, designed Leahy’s equipment but it wasn’t the first time goaltenders asked him to make other cosmetic designs.  However, as Stomp said, “It might be the most clever idea.  I don’t think there’s any question it will work, although to what degree depends on the shooter and the situation.”

Leahy applied for a design patent last February, and it is pending.  He received the pads on November 29, and began using them in practice and then in games.  Since then, he has registered two shutouts and has a goals-against average under 2.00.

Pingree coach Buddy Taft said, “It all makes sense.  I’m not sure if there’s any effective way to test their success, but he’s played pretty well.”

One of Pingree’s top scorers, Matt MacDonald, said that the illusion is effective when there’s a scramble in front of the net and they need to shoot quickly.   “When you’re in close and you don’t have a lot of time to think, it does catch your eye, and you do shoot toward it sometimes.” 

As to what will happen to the pads after this season is unclear.  Leahy said he would like to play hockey in college, and wants to market the idea.