Avery/3M: another reexam/litigation combo

Avery Dennison Corporation announced April 13, 2006 that the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted the Company's Request for Reexamination of 3M Company's U.S. Patent No. 5,897,930, the patent that is the subject of ongoing litigation between the two companies.

Avery Dennison's request was based on five earlier issued patents that were not considered by the Patent and Trademark Office before issuing the '930 patent to 3M. In granting the Company's request, the Patent and Trademark Office stated that the five patents raise 'substantial new questions of patentability' affecting the claims in the '930 patent.

In the ongoing patent infringement litigation concerning the '930 patent, Avery Dennison is contesting a jury verdict in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota that held that some of Avery Dennison's Easy Apply Technology(TM) EZ Graphics Film products infringe the '930 patent and that the '930 patent is valid.