Blog Tag: Trademarks

TP Orthodontics, Inc. sued Hangzhou Shinye Orthodontic Products and Global Orthodontics in the Northern District of Illinois.  The lawsuit alleges that Hangzhou Shinye’s “Transmission Series Brackets” infringe U.S. Patent No. 6,682,345, entitled “Orthodontic Bracket,” which issued in 2004.  According to the complaint, Hangzhou Shinye is a Chinese corporation, and Global Orthodontics is based in Virginia.  In addition to patent infringement, the lawsuit asserts trademark infringement claims based on the defendants’ alleged use of the mark “TIP-Edge Plus” on their website and in their marketing literature.  In 2011, TP Orthodontics filed suit against Burris Dental Group, P.A. and Hixson-Burris Publishing, LLC for trademark infringement.  The complaint and asserted patents in the TP Orthodontics v. Hangzhou Shinye case are available here.