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Feb/March 2010 firm newsletter

Judge Asked To Toss Wiper-Blade Lawsuit

Kenneth Aaron of the Times Union Windshield-wiper maker Trico Products Corp. of Denver wants a federal judge to toss out a patent-infringement lawsuit filed last month by a Ballston Spa company. Specialty Silicone Products accused Trico of violating its patents by marketing a Teflon-coated wiper blade, which SSP alleged didn't actually contain any Teflon, either. In response, Trico said its blades do, indeed, contain the slick resin. But the Teflon is included in a stripe running the length of the blade, not in a coating, and violates no patents, according to a news release. SSP also alleged Trico had violated federal antitrust law, saying the company coerced a supplier into not carrying SSP's SilBlade product. Trico disagrees and on Friday filed a motion in U.S. District Court in White Plains to have the case thrown out. Arlen Olsen, a patent attorney with the Latham law firm Schmeiser Olsen and Watts LLP representing SSP, said Trico was trying to squash his client before it can get a foothold in the market. ``SSP came up with this idea,'' he said. ``Obviously, we're not going to file suits unless we have a valid cause of action.'' Factbox: rg/12/'>lung cancer systoms