Reebok Files Suit Versus Nike Alleging Patent Infringement

By Liza Casabona

NEW YORK — Reebok International Ltd., a subsidiary of Adidas Inter­national, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Nike over alleged infringement of its collapsible shoe technology.

According to documents filed on April 3 in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas, Reebok alleged that a number of Nike's products infringed on a patent Reebok obtained in January. The Nike products Reebok complained about in its suit are "Free," "Free Flex," "Free Zen & Now," "Free Trainer" and "Free Trail." The Reebok patent protects the technological design features of its collapsible shoes, which include flexible materials in the sole.

Reebok has filed a lawsuit against Nike stating that some of Nike's products have infringed on a patent Reebok has. This is not the first time that Reebok and Nike have had a lawsuit over technology patents, but Reebok has the right to its intellectual property. Getting a patent protects new ideas and technology, and companies need to respect that and come up with their own ideas. Reebok is doing their best to protect any new innovations in the sneaker industry.

Alexandra Artim

http://www.wwd.com/search/article/114589?query=patents

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