Epson files suit

recently lodged a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) against 24 companies that manufacture, import, or distribute aftermarket ink cartridges for resale in the

.

The complaint, filed by Epson Portland, Epson America, and Seiko Epson Corporation. alleges that these companies' cartridges infringe at least nine patents that cover numerous models of cartridges for Epson's desktop inkjet printers. Epson is asking the ITC to issue a general exclusion order prohibiting these companies and others from importing and selling infringing cartridges into the United States.

In conjunction with the ITC complaint, Epson has also filed a lawsuit in the US District Court in Portland, Oregon against these same 24 companies asserting similar patent infringement claims. The District Court complaint seeks a permanent injunction against infringement and monetary damages.

Epson said in a statement that it has made continuous worldwide investments in R&D and significant investments in manufacturing in the United States to produce high quality, innovative cartridges. Both actions are part of Epson's worldwide efforts to protect the company and its customers from unfair competition of all types, including the sale of patent-infringing ink cartridges.

"Epson recognizes and respects competitors' rights to sell aftermarket ink cartridges as long as they compete fairly, which includes not infringing patents," said Liz Leung, director of Supplies Marketing, Epson America. "As with numerous patent and trademark infringement lawsuits filed previously, we have taken both of these actions to protect the company's innovative products from unfair competition."