Hewlett-Packard sues LaserCycle over patent to printer ink

Direct infringement of a claim of a patent can be for making, using, selling or offering to sell. The observation below that LaserCycle doesn't make the ink is irrelevant if LaserCycle is using the (infringing) ink.

from The Business Journal of Kansas City :

The world's largest manufacturer of office printers has sued Lenexa-based LaserCycle Inc., the world's largest-volume remanufacturer of printer ink cartridges, for an alleged infringement of an ink patent.

Brad Roderick, LaserCycle vice president of marketing, said Tuesday, March 29 the company has begun negotiating with Hewlett-Packard Co. to resolve the suit, which was filed Friday in U.S. District Court for Western Wisconsin.

The suit alleges that three cartridge models marketed by LaserCycle contain infringing ink, he said.

"It appears to be specific to the formulation of the ink chemistry, which we don't manufacture," Roderick said.

Based on early discussions with H-P, Roderick said, it appeared unlikely the case would go to trial. The company doesn't agree that its products infringe on H-P's patents but it's seeking additional information from the company, he said.

"It is our hope that we would be able to, in the coming weeks, release a joint statement with Hewlett Packard," he said.