Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei said it won litigation disputes relating to patents for lithium-ion battery separators.
In a statement released on Tuesday, it said the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China recorded its final judgement on 2 November to maintain Asahi Kasei’s patent for battery separators in China.
That judgement was preceded by four years of litigation disputes related to patents for lithium-ion battery separators in Asia, it said. The hearings listed by Asahi:
- In August 2018, Asahi Kasei filed a patent infringement lawsuit with Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court against Shenzhen Xu Ran Electronic Co., Ltd. in Shenzhen, China, and others as joint defendants
- Based on the patent owned by Asahi Kasei, it aimed to prohibit Xu Ran Electronic and others from selling their “single-layer W-scope” battery separators in China and to secure compensation for damages totalling 1 million yuan ($148,000)
- In December 2020, the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China issued a final decision which fully accepted Asahi Kasei’s claim of patent infringement
- Shenzhen Xu Ran Electronic Co., Ltd. requested the invalidation of Asahi Kasei’s patent
- The China National Intellectual Property Administration made a decision to maintain the patent
- In response, the other party filed an appeal with the Beijing Intellectual Property Court
- A judgement to maintain the patent was recorded on 28 September, 2021
- The other party filed a final appeal with the Supreme People’s Court. It lost this.
“Asahi Kasei will pay close attention to issues concerning intellectual property rights, and if deemed necessary, take specific measures proactively against any infringement,” it said.