PHILADELPHIA – A furniture company with a place of business in Greenville alleges one of its patented chair designs was unlawfully used.
Knoll Inc. and Formway Furniture Limited filed a complaint on Jan. 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against HNI Corp. and Allsteel Inc. alleging patent infringement.
According to the complaint, Knoll develops and sells furniture and Formway designs furniture. The suit states Formway owns the '232 patent, which Knoll uses under a Formway license to make and sell its MultiGeneration by Knoll chair.
The plaintiffs hold HNI Corp. and Allsteel Inc. responsible because the defendants allegedly designed its Lyric multipurpose chair to mimic the design of the MultiGeneration by Knoll chair.
The plaintiffs seek damages, for the defendants to pay ongoing royalty to the plaintiffs, treble damages, court costs, enjoin the defendants, interest and any further relief the court grants.
They are represented by Samuel Braver and Ralph G. Fischer of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC in Pittsburgh.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 2:18-cv-00019-JP