A Chicago-based auto parts firm recently refuted claims from mainstays in the automotive industry concerning the litigation of design patents in courts. This sets the stage for the full Federal Circuit to hear the company’s argument early next year that “designers do solve problems.”
As the debate intensifies, the auto parts company positioned itself contrary to the prevailing viewpoint of several big industry players. The crux of the argument rests on the value and function of design within the automotive parts industry, particularly from a patent law perspective.
While further details are yet to emerge, what is clear is the impending reassessment of the role of designers in problem-solving within the auto parts industry. This case could yield significant implications not just for design patents, but for the perception of design’s place in practical problem-solving more generally.
For more details and updates on this developing story, you can follow the litigation here.