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Jerome H. Lemelson (Lemelson), an inventor and engineer, sent a
letter to DeVilbiss offering to license certain patents,
including a patent called the “‘431 patent”. In 1978, DeVilbiss
secured a license, from the Trallfa Co. of Norway (Trallfa), to
sell Trallfa robots in North America. Trallfa robots are
computer-controlled hydraulically actuated paint spray devices
that are designed to mimic human arm and wrist motions during
painting operations. On September 17, 1979, attorneys for
Lemelson sent a letter to DeVilbiss asserting that DeVilbiss was
producing certain products in the industrial robot and
manipulator field that might be infringing certain Lemelson
patents including the ‘431 patent. On behalf of DeVilbiss, the
director of robotic operations at DeVilbiss wrote a reply letter
to Lemelson’s attorneys that denied any infringement. On May 23,
1980, DeVilbiss and Trallfa entered into a new license agreement
that gave DeVilbiss the right to manufacture, as well as to sell,
Trallfa robots.
In 1981, Lemelson filed a lawsuit against the United States
of America in the U.S. Court of Claims (Court of Claims lawsuit)
alleging patent infringement for the Federal Government’s
purchase and use of certain robots including the Trallfa robot.
Champion, as owner of DeVilbiss, entered the case as a third-
party defendant. During one court session, the presiding judge
stated that, after reviewing the merits, he did not believe that
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Last modified: May 25, 2011