Tric Tools, Inc. v. TT Technologies, Inc.
Opinion
Lead Opinion
Tigar, J.
ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND 'SETTING CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
Re: ECF No.
Before the Court is Defendant TT Technologies, Inc.’s (“TT”) motion for summary judgment of non-infringement. ECF No. 99. For the reasons set forth below, the Court will GRANT the motion.
I. BACKGROUND
Plaintiff and Counter-Defendant Trie Tools, Inc. (“TRIC”) brought this action for patent infringement against Defendants and Counter-Claimant TT and Trac-to-Teckni k GM B H & Co., KG on July 3, 2012. ECF No. 1. TRIC alleges that TT’s Grundotugger machine infringes its patents for a pipe-bursting device: Patent Numbers 6,305,880 (“ '880 patent”), 6,524,-031 (“ '031 patent”), and 6,793,442 (“ '442”). All three patents relate to a device and method for trenchless replacement of underground pipe by splitting existing pipe and pulling cable through the existing pipe in order to perform the replacement. The '031 patent is a continuation of the '880, and the '442 is a continuation of the '031.
TRIC designed its device to be relatively lightweight, yet powerful, and to allow underground pipes to be replaced without the digging of trenches. Id; U.S. Patent No. 6524031, col. 8:13-25. This…