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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Rawlings Sued Over ‘Football Helmet’ Patent

(CN) - Represented by legal heavyweight Perkins Coie, the owner of patents titled "football helmet," "sports helmet" and "shoulder pads" filed a federal complaint Wednesday against Rawlings Sporting Goods Co. Inc.

Riddell Inc., based in Rosemont, Ill., claims to have received the first of the patents at issue, "football helmet," on Aug. 30, 2005. The eight-page complaint is filed in Chicago.

It puts the dates of the "shoulder pads" patent at Aug. 26, 2014, the "sports helmet" patent at Sept. 10, 2013, and the "sports helmet" design patent at Oct. 27, 2009.

Rawlings, based in St. Louis, Mo., even references Riddell's "football helmet" patent and the "sports helmet" design patent in one of its design patents, the complaint states.

Though Rawlings is not licensed to any of the four aforementioned Riddell patents, it is currently infringing each of them, Riddell says.

As to the alleged infringement of both the "football helmet" and "sports helmet" patent, Riddell points to Rawlings "products ... identified with the Tachyon, Impulse, Quantum, Momentum, and Force model names.

Riddell mentions the same football helmet model names with regard to the alleged infringement of its "sports helmet" design patent, as well as "baseball helmets identified with the S100, S90, S80 and S70 series names."

Rawlings shoulder pads from the Titan and Spartan lines round out the remaining claims.

Riddell is represented by Perkins Coie attorney Rodger Carreyn, of Madison, Wis., in the suit for damages.

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