Legal Opinion
Vornado Air Circulation Systems, Inc., a Kansas Corporation v. Duracraft Corporation
Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Decided July 5, 1995No. 94-3191PublishedCited by 55 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
STEPHEN H. ANDERSON, Circuit Judge.
INTRODUCTION
This ease presents an issue of first impression in our circuit concerning the intersection of the Patent Act and the Lanham TradeMark Act. We must decide whether a product configuration is entitled to trade dress protection when it is or has been a significant inventive component of an invention covered by a utility patent.
After expiration of any patents or copyrights on an invention, that invention normally passes into the public domain and can be freely copied by anyone. The district court found, however, that because the spiral structure of…
2Cases cited48 opinions
- Graham v. John Deere Co. of Kansas CitySupreme Court of the United States · 1966
- Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1992
- Inwood Laboratories, Inc. v. Ives Laboratories, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1982
- Park 'N Fly, Inc. v. Dollar Park & Fly, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1985
- Digital Equipment Corp. v. Desktop Direct, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1994
43 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by55 opinions
- Holmes Group, Inc. v. Vornado Air Circulation Systems, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 2002
- TrafFix Devices, Inc. v. Marketing Displays, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 2001
- Midwest Industries, Inc. v. Karavan Trailers, Inc.Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit · 1999
- Savant Homes, Inc. v. CollinsCourt of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · 2016
- Thomas & Betts Corporation and Thomas & Betts Holdings, Inc. v. Panduit CorporationCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 1998
50 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.