Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. v. Dow Chem. Co.
In an opinion addressing claim construction, infringement
and indefiniteness, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit affirmed the district court's findings that the
asserted claims were not indefinite and not infringed. Akzo
Nobel Coatings, Inc. v. Dow Chem. Co., Case Nos. 15-1331;
-1389 (Fed. Cir., Jan. 29, 2016) (Lourie, J.).
Akzo owns a patent covering a method of producing low viscosity
aqueous polymer dispersions. The claimed invention prevents the
aqueous medium from boiling by maintaining a pressurized extruder
and includes a "pressurized collection vessel" that the
aqueous dispersion enters. Dow's accused process uses a
pressurized extruder but, rather than entering a pressurized
container, the aqueous dispersion passes through a valve, travels
through a series of heat exchangers and then collects in an
unpressurized compartment.
