SLT v. Sharplan
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Surgical Laser Technologies, Inc. wins patent infringement suit against Laser Industries, Inc. subsidiary Sharplan. In a trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a jury found that the majority of Sharplan's sapphire contact probes and scalpels, which are no longer sold in the U.S., infringe a family of SLT patents for its Contact Laser. In addition, the jury found that Sharplan's conical sculpted fibers, which are still sold in the U.S., infringe one of the Contact Laser patents. The jury also upheld the validity of the three SLT patents "that form the core of SLT's Contact Laser technology," SLT says, and concluded that SLT does not infringe a laser patent licensed by Sharplan from the University of Washington ("The Gray Sheet" May 6, 1991, I&W-7). Sharplan plans to introduce a substitute for the conical fibers, which constituted less that 1% of 1992 sales, and says that it will appeal the decision. Damages will be addressed in a subsequent proceeding.