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Godinger Silver Art v. Shenzen Tangson Houseware - Complaint
Godinger Silver Art v. Shenzen Tangson Houseware - Complaint
COMPLAINT
Plaintiff Godinger Silver Art Ltd. (“Godinger” or “Plaintiff”), by and through its
attorneys, hereby alleges for its Complaint for Patent Infringement against Shenzen
1. This is an action for patent infringement arising under 35 U.S.C. § 271 due
to Defendants’ infringement of Godinger’s U.S. Patent No. D846,947 (the “’947 Patent”),
PARTIES
Traffic Avenue, Ridgewood, New York 11385. Plaintiff specializes in handcrafted silver,
a principal place of business at Suite 1701, Block A, Liwan Building, Qianhai Road,
4. This is an action for patent infringement arising under the provisions of the
Patent Laws of the United States of America, Title 35 of the United States Code, §§ 100,
et seq., as well as related claims for tortious interference and trade libel.
5. Subject matter jurisdiction over the claims is conferred upon this Court by
6. This Court also has personal jurisdiction over Defendant because, upon
information and belief, Defendant maintains continuous and systematic contacts within
the state, derives substantial revenue from the state, and has committed acts giving rise to
due process, because they have purposefully availed themselves of the privilege of
conducting activities nationally, including within the Eastern District of New York, such
that they should reasonably anticipate being hailed into court here.
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8. Venue is proper in this District pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) and (c) and
§ 1400(b) at least because Plaintiff resides within this District, and Defendant transacts
business within this District, including one or more acts of making, selling, using,
importing and/or offering for sale infringing products within this District, thus committing
THE PATENT-IN-SUIT
9. The ‘947 Patent, entitled “Drinking Glass with Cigar Holder,” was duly
and legally issued as D846,947 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on April
30, 2019. A true and correct copy of the ‘947 Patent is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
offers for sale, and/or advertises a drinking glass with a cigar holder, the “Lighten Life
Cigar Glass.” The Lighten-Life Cigar Glass is offered in a rounded form (the “Rounded
Glass”), and semi-circular form (the “Semi-Circular Glass”) (the “Round Glass” and
various offerings for sale are attached hereto as Exhibit B. Exemplary photographs of the
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12. Upon information and belief, since at least July 14, 2020, Defendant has
13. Upon information and belief, the Round Glass is available for purchase at
14. Upon information and belief, Defendant has been aware of the ’947 Patent.
15. Defendant has continued to infringe since that time with knowledge,
understanding and appreciation of the ‘947 Patent, and the rights it bestows upon Plaintiff.
rights vis-à-vis the ‘947 Patent and a desire to profit, without regard or respect for U.S.
patent laws.
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19. Defendant has infringed and continues to infringe the ‘947 Patent at least
through their manufacture, sale, importation, offer for sale and/or marketing of the
Infringing Products, which it offers for sale and sells on Amazon.com, Walmart.com, its
website Lifelightenup.com as well as other online and brick and mortar retail stores.
20. The ‘947 Patent covers the ornamental design for a drinking glass with an
21. Plaintiff’s products embodied in the ‘947 Patent are well-known, and are
sold throughout the United States and the world. An exemplary embodiment is reproduced
below:
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22. Plaintiff has extensively promoted, advertised and used its glass with cigar
holder in a variety of media throughout the United States to distinguish its products and
giving such attention as a purchaser usually gives, would be so deceived by the substantial
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Products, believing to be substantially the same as the Plaintiff’s cigar design protected
25. Defendant’s infringement has damaged and continues to damage and injure
Plaintiff. The injury is irreparable and will continue unless and until Defendant is enjoined
derived by Defendant from the unlawful conduct alleged herein, including without
27. Defendant has engaged and is currently engaged in willful and deliberate
pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 284. Moreover, such willful and deliberate infringement qualifies
29. Plaintiff re-alleges and incorporates the allegations in each of the preceding
unlawfully attempting to pass off, and are passing off, the Infringing Products as those
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confuse and deceive consumers as to the source of origin of the goods and services for
which Plaintiff has invested substantial time, effort and money in developing and further
32. Upon information and belief, Defendant willfully and purposefully targets
33. Defendant has been palming off its goods as Plaintiff’s goods. Consumers
have been and continue to be confused as to whether Defendant’s Infringing Products are
34. The damage suffered by Plaintiff is irreparable and will continue unless
36. Such conduct by Defendant is the sole reason for Defendant’s ability to
market and sell their unauthorized Infringing Products, which are unauthorized copies that
37. Defendant has been unjustly enriched through their flagrantly unlawful
conduct, and all remedies available at law and in equity are justified.
38. Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law in the continuing nature of the
unfair competition, which will result in irreparable harm to Plaintiff should Defendant not
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39. Plaintiff re-alleges and incorporates the allegations in each of the preceding
unlawfully attempting to pass off, and are passing off, the Infringing Products as those
confuse and deceive consumers as to the source of origin of the goods and services for
which Plaintiff has invested substantial time, effort and money in developing and further
42. Upon information and belief, Defendant is willfully and purposefully target
43. Defendant has been palming off their goods as Plaintiff’s goods.
44. The damage suffered by Plaintiff is irreparable and will continue unless
46. Such conduct by Defendant is the sole reason for Defendant’s ability to
market and sell their unauthorized Infringing Products, which are unauthorized copies that
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47. Defendant has been unjustly enriched through their flagrantly unlawful
conduct, and all remedies available at law and in equity are justified.
48. Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law in the continuing nature of the
unfair competition, which will result in irreparable harm to Plaintiff should Defendant not
50. Defendant’s acts constitute false advertising and deceptive acts and
sale, selling and distributing the infringing products in direct competition with Plaintiff
constitutes activity likely to cause confusion, mistake and deception for and to consumers
as to the source of Plaintiff’s products, such that consumers may believe Defendant’s
products are sponsored by, endorsed by, approved by, licensed by, authorized by, or
52. Defendant has acted willfully and deliberately and has profited and been
unjustly enriched by sales they would not otherwise have made but for its unlawful
conduct.
53. Defendant has, by virtue of the foregoing, caused Plaintiff to suffer injuries
for which, unless enjoined, Plaintiff will continue to suffer substantial and irreparable
injury for which Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law, including at least substantial and
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irreparable injury to the goodwill and reputation for quality associated with Plaintiff’s
products.
least Defendant’s profits, actual damages, enhanced damages, costs, and reasonable
claims;
U.S.C. § 271;
retailers, distributors and resellers, its officers, agents, subsidiaries, servants, partners,
participation with them, from (1) making any use of Plaintiff’s products, or any
distributing, or importing into the U.S. glasses confusingly similar thereto; (2)
offering for sale, or selling the Infringing Products or any products confusingly similar
thereto; (3) engaging in any other activity constituting unfair competition with Plaintiff,
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or acts and practices that deceive consumers, the public, and/or trade, including without
limitation, the use of designations and design elements used or owned by or associated
with Plaintiff; and (4) committing any other act which falsely represents or which has the
effect of falsely representing that Defendant’s Infringing Products are licensed by,
authorized by, offered by, produced by, sponsored by, or in any other way associated with
Plaintiff;
deliver to Plaintiff for destruction or other disposition all remaining inventory of all
Infringing Products and related items, including all advertisements, promotional and
I. Order Defendant, at its own expense, to withdraw from the market, account
for and properly destroy any and all products bearing the trade dress;
thirty (30) days after service on Defendant of preliminary or permanent injunctive orders,
a report in writing, under oath, setting forth in detail the manner and form in which
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provided by law;
M. Award Plaintiff such treble and punitive damages for Defendant’s willful
Plaintiff’s rights that the Court shall deem just and proper;
N. Award Plaintiff the fees, costs and disbursements, and interest, expended
in connection with any actions taken to investigate and confirm the claims made herein;
O. Declaring Plaintiff as the prevailing party and this case as exceptional, and
P. Ordering that Defendant pay all fees, expenses, and costs associated with
this action;
R. Grant such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.
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Pursuant to Rule 38(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Plaintiff demands a trial
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(b) County of Residence of First Listed Plaintiff QUEENS County of Residence of First Listed Defendant
(EXCEPT IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES) (IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES ONLY)
NOTE: IN LAND CONDEMNATION CASES, USE THE LOCATION OF
THE TRACT OF LAND INVOLVED.
(c) Attorneys (Firm Name, Address, and Telephone Number) Attorneys (If Known)
BOCHNER IP
295 Madison Ave., 12th Floor
New York, NY 10017 (646) 971-0685
II. BASIS OF JURISDICTION (Place an “X” in One Box Only) III. CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES (Place an “X” in One Box for Plaintiff
(For Diversity Cases Only) and One Box for Defendant)
’ 1 U.S. Government ’ 3 Federal Question PTF DEF PTF DEF
Plaintiff (U.S. Government Not a Party) Citizen of This State ’ 1 ’ 1 Incorporated or Principal Place ’ 4 ’ 4
of Business In This State
’ 2 U.S. Government ’ 4 Diversity Citizen of Another State ’ 2 ’ 2 Incorporated and Principal Place ’ 5 ’ 5
Defendant (Indicate Citizenship of Parties in Item III) of Business In Another State
I, __________________________________________,
Andrew D. Bochner counsel for____________________________,
Godinger Silver Art, Ltd. do hereby certify that the above captioned civil action is ineligible for
compulsory arbitration for the following reason(s):
monetary damages sought are in excess of $150,000, exclusive of interest and costs,
✔ the complaint seeks injunctive relief,
None
1.) Is the civil action being filed in the Eastern District removed from a New York State Court located in Nassau or Suffolk
County? Yes ✔ No
b) Did the events or omissions giving rise to the claim or claims, or a substantial part thereof, occur in the Eastern
District? ✔ Yes No
c) If this is a Fair Debt Collection Practice Act case, specify the County in which the offending communication was
received:______________________________.
If your answer to question 2 (b) is “No,” does the defendant (or a majority of the defendants, if there is more than one) reside in Nassau or
Suffolk County, or, in an interpleader action, does the claimant (or a majority of the claimants, if there is more than one) reside in Nassau or
Yes No
Suffolk County?___________________________________
(Note: A corporation shall be considered a resident of the County in which it has the most significant contacts).
BAR ADMISSION
I am currently admitted in the Eastern District of New York and currently a member in good standing of the bar of this court.
✔ Yes No
Are you currently the subject of any disciplinary action (s) in this or any other state or federal court?
In Compliance with 35 U.S.C. § 290 and/or 15 U.S.C. § 1116 you are hereby advised that a court action has been
filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on the following
G Trademarks or G
✔ Patents. ( G the patent action involves 35 U.S.C. § 292.):
Format m/d/yyyy
Copy 1—Upon initiation of action, mail this copy to Director Copy 3—Upon termination of action, mail this copy to Director
Copy 2—Upon filing document adding patent(s), mail this copy to Director Copy 4—Case file copy
To: (Defendant’s name and address) SHENZEN TANGSON HOUSEWARE CO., LTD. D/B/A AMAZON STOREFRONT
HOME-SIGNATURE
Suite 1701, Block A, Liwan Building, Qianhai Road, Nanshan, Shenzen, China 518000
Within 21 days after service of this summons on you (not counting the day you received it) — or 60 days if you
are the United States or a United States agency, or an officer or employee of the United States described in Fed. R. Civ.
P. 12 (a)(2) or (3) — you must serve on the plaintiff an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of
the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintiff or plaintiff’s attorney,
whose name and address are: Andrew D. Bochner
BOCHNER IP
295 Madison Avenue
12th Floor
New York, NY 10017
If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint.
You also must file your answer or motion with the court.
DOUGLAS C. PALMER
CLERK OF COURT
Date:
Signature of Clerk or Deputy Clerk
Case 1:21-cv-02674 Document 1-5 Filed 05/12/21 Page 2 of 2 PageID #: 31
PROOF OF SERVICE
(This section should not be filed with the court unless required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 4 (l))
’ I left the summons at the individual’s residence or usual place of abode with (name)
, a person of suitable age and discretion who resides there,
on (date) , and mailed a copy to the individual’s last known address; or
’ Other (specify):
.
My fees are $ for travel and $ for services, for a total of $ 0.00 .
Date:
Server’s signature
Server’s address