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EP2845833B1.pdf
Original file: EP2845833B1.pdf
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EP 2 845 833 B1 Europaisches Patentamt European Patent Office Office européen des brevets (12) (45) Date of publication and mention of the grant of the patent: 11.07.2018 Bulletin 2018/28 (21) Application number: 13785004.6 (14) EP 2 845 833 B1 EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (61) Int Cl: B6EC 19/00 (2006.07) B65G 63/00 (2006.07) B65G 67/60 (2006.97) (86) International application number: PCT/CL2013/000027 (22) Date of filing: 02.05.2013 (87) International publication number: WO 2013/163774 (07.11.2013 Gazette 2013/45) (54) SYSTEM FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING DURING PORT OPERATIONS, COMPRISING A CRANE, AND A BASE LOCATED IN THE BODY OF THE CRANE THAT SUPPORTS AND STACKS HATCHWAY COVERS SYSTEM ZUM BE- UND ENTLADEN WAHREND EINES HAFENBETRIEBS MIT EINEM KRAN UND EINER BASISSTATION IM KRAN ZUR STUTZE UND STAPELUNG VON LADELUKENABDECKUNGEN SYSTEME DE CHARGEMENT ET DE DECHARGEMENT LORS D'OPERATIONS PORTUAIRES, COMPRENANT UNE GRUE ET UNE BASE SITUEE DANS LE CORPS DE LA GRUE QUI SOUTIENT ET EMPILE LES CAPOTS DE TRAPPE (84) Designated Contracting States: AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FIFR GB GR HR HUIEISITLILT LULV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SISK SMTR (72) Inventor: Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo 7561127 Santiago (CL) (74) Representative: ZBM Patents - Zea, Barlocci & Markvardsen Plaza Catalunya, 1 08002 Barcelona (ES) (30) Priority: 04.05.2012 CL 20121183 U (43) Date of publication of application: 11.03.2015 Bulletin 2015/11 (56) References cited: WO-A1-96/09242 US-A- 4 599 027 US-A- 5 538 382 US-A1- 2008 219 804 US-A- 3 812 987 US-A- 5 456 560 US-A1- 2002 044 854 (73) Proprietor: Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo 7561127 Santiago (CL) Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 2 845 833 B1 2 Description Field of the Invention [0001] Theinvention is related with the tasks of loading and unloading of ships or boats, andis specifically related with the procedure for removal of the hatch covers to allow access or exit of the cargo to the holds of the mar- itime vessels. [0002] The invention consists of a system of loading, unloading and supporting the hatch covers, which com- prises a crane and a base for stacking the hatch covers of the ship, so that these covers are not stockpiled some- where else that it can be used for other operation. Background of the Invention [0003] The holds of ships or boats are the space inside the hull which is used to hold the cargos that are trans- ported. The opening that allows access to the hold for introducing or removing the cargos is the hatch, which in most cases is on the deck of the ship which is the upper outer surface of the hull. When the ship sails these hatch- es must be closed, both to protect the cargo, and to main- tain the water-tightness of the ship and so to not allow water to enter the holds filled with water. The element that closes the hatch is called the hatch cover and should be tight enough so as not to allow water to enter which eventually passes on the deck of the ship during naviga- tion. [0004] During the tasks of loading and unloading of the ships the hatch covers have to be removed from the hatches to allow access or egress of the cargo to the holds. Some ships are equipped with devices for opening and closing the hatch and have sufficient space to retain the hatch cover on the ship once it is removed from the hatch; while other ships neither have the space nor have the devices that will allow them to retain the covers on them, so they must be removed and placed elsewhere, which in most cases is the surface of the docks, break- waters or rafts used for loading or unloading of the goods. [0005] When hatch covers have to be removed from the boats and arranged on the surface of the docks, breakwaters or rafts or any other surface which is used for this purpose and which is not the ship, the area used may have alternative uses such as gathering the cargos or the transit of the equipment transfer or transportation of goods. In some cases these areas may be critical for efficient operation of transfer and portage (transport of cargo within the port or maritime terminal) of the cargos. [0006] In view of the above, it is necessary to have a place to put the hatch cover, which is other than the sur- face of the docks, breakwaters or rafts, and which has easy accessibility and adequate capacity. In this way, the hatch covers of the ship would not occupy the area of operation where the cargo or other items can be gath- ered, used for the transit of the portage equipment or to locate the transfer equipments. 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 [0007] The applicant has developed a system to store or stack the hatch covers, within the same crane that performs the loading and unloading of the goods con- tained in the holds of ships The document US5538382 describes a system consist- ing of a crane that has a variable level suspended plat- form lift type having a mechanism for lifting, wherein said platform is for the transport of the cargo. [0008] The document US4858775 describes a plat- form lift for the load of a container, which includes its own circulation engines motion to have autonomy of move- ment along the crane boom. [0009] From the state of the art it can be seen that although there exist platforms associated with loading cranes, these platforms are with elevator movement and are installed on the cranes to assist with the loading and unloading processes in the maritime operations. [0010] Document US2008/0219804 describes a crane comprising a fixed platform for receiving hatch covers located on a platform bearing structure that is built into the overall structure of the crane. Document W096/09242 describes a handling plant able to transfer hold covers from the holds to a support provided within a top of a longitudinal frame of the handling plant. [0011] Document US3812987 discloses a container loading and unloading method in which a buffer is pro- vided between a container crane and a rear conveyance facility on a container crane so that some of the contain- ers may be deposited upon said buffer when the contain- ers are transferred from the container crane to the con- tainer carriage or vice versa. [0012] Document US2002044854 describes a loading device for ISO containers in a container terminal with a container bridge for the loading and unloading of ships and with automatic incoming and outgoing transfer of the containers by means of automatic guided vehicles. [0013] The objective of the present invention is to pro- vide alternative means for gathering the hatch covers, so that the hatch covers are not stacked or stored on the surface of the docks, breakwaters or rafts used for load- ing or unloading of the goods. Summary of the Invention [0014] The present invention corresponds to a system for loading, unloading in port operations and for support- ing hatch covers comprising a crane for loading and un- loading of maritime operations and a base located in the body of the crane to hold and stack the hatch covers. [0015] The defined objective is achieved by the provi- sion of a system according to claim 1 and by the use of the corresponding procedure for removing, stacking and returning hatch covers, as defined in claim 3. Brief Description of the Drawings [0016] The invention will be described below with ref- erence to the accompanying drawings, in which: 3 EP 2 845 833 B1 4 Figure 1 shows a side-rear view of the system of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a side-front view of the system of the present invention. Figure 3 shows a side-rear view for the other side of the system of the present invention. Figure 4 shows a side view of the outer platform op- tion of the system of the present invention. Figure 5 shows a side view of figure 1. Figure 6 shows a front view of the system with plat- form or with one support. Figure 7 shows a top view of the system of the present invention with stacked covers. Figure 8 shows another side view of the system of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention [0017] The present invention corresponds to a system (1) for loading, unloading in port operations and for sup- porting hatch covers (11) comprising a crane (2) for load- ing and unloading of maritime operations and a base to be located in the body of the crane for holding and stack- ing the hatch covers. [0018] The crane (2) for loading and unloading in port operations corresponds to a gantry crane that has an elevated bridge (4) or a gantry supported by two legs (5) by way of an angled arch (15) formed by two verticals profiles, wherein each leg terminates in a horizontal pro- file base (6); in the bottom half of the legs two lateral horizontal beams are located (7), one on each side of the body of the crane, which links both legs of the crane on their lateral sides, allowing the crane to have free movement of jib trolley (8) in the front and back direction of the crane. [0019] The base to be placed in the body of the crane can be a platform with supports (3, 12) or only a cover support (16, 13) said base is of a resistant material, pref- erably metal and is strongly adhered to the lateral hori- zontal beams (7) and / or to the verticals profiles of the legs of the crane, either joined by welding and/or bolted. The installation of the base in the crane (2) may be made on the inside of the body of the crane between its legs or on the outside of the body of the crane as a horizontal extension. [0020] The installation of the platform (3) on the inside of the body of the crane comprises installing small sup- ports attached strongly to the lateral horizontal beams (7) of the crane; a rear horizontal beam (9) attached to the vertical profiles of the rear leg; a front horizontal beam (10) attached to the lateral horizontal beams; and a plat- 10 15 20 25 45 50 55 form (3) placed on the supports and the front and rear horizontal beams (10.9), tightly bound. The installation of the outer platform (12) on the outside of the body of the crane comprises installing supports attached to the vertical profiles of the legs of the crane and a platform on said supports, also includes some higher tensors (14) attached to the top of the crane. The installation of the supports (16) on the inside of the body of the crane com- prises placing supports attached to the lateral horizontal profiles where such supports are of an adequate size and sufficient to support the weight of the hatch covers (11). The installation of the outer cover support (13) on the outside of the body of the crane comprises only installing supports attached to the vertical profiles of the legs of the crane, also including some higher tensors (14) at- tached to the top of the crane. [0021] The distance between the legs of the crane is about 17 meters and the size of the hatch covers is about 12 to 13 meters, so the size of the platform (3) or the outer platform (12) or the support (16) or the outer cover support (13) has a length of about 14 to less than 17 meters and a width of approximately 10 to 14 meters. The thickness of the inner or outer platform is in the range of 1.20 meters to less than 30 cm. [0022] Optionally the platform (3) or support (16) con- tains flanges or wedges to make the operation safer. [0023] The procedure of removing, stacking and re- turning of the hatch covers to the ship comprises: 1. having a system (1) of loading, unloading and sup- porting hatch covers (11); 2. removing the hatch cover from the hold of the mar- itime vessel and moving it with the trolley (8) of the crane (2); 3. moving the cover and placing it on the installed base in the body of the crane; 4. once the operation of loading and / or unloading of the crane is over returning the cover to the ship moving it from the said base to the ship. Claims 1. System (1) for loading and unloading in port opera- tions and supporting hatch covers (11) of holds of maritime vessels, WHEREIN it comprises: a) acrane (2) for loading and unloading of mar- itime operations, wherein the crane has horizon- tal lateral beams (7) one on each side of a body of the crane and two legs (5) with angled shaped arch, each formed by two verticals profiles (15) and a horizontal profile base (6); and b) a base located in the body of the crane to hold and stack hatch covers (11), 5 EP 2 845 833 B1 6 characterized in that the base is an inner or anouter cover support (16, 13), wherein the inner cover support (16) is installed on an inside of the body of the crane (2) and is formed by supports attached to the lateral horizontal beams (7), the sup- ports being of an adequate and sufficient size to sup- port the weight of the hatch covers, or the outer cover support (13) is installed on an outside of the body of the crane (2) and is formed by supports attached to the vertical profiles (15) of the legs of the crane; and further comprising some higher tensors (14) attached to a top of the crane, wherein the sup- ports are of an adequate and sufficient size to sup- port the weight of the hatch covers. System (1) for loading and unloading in port opera- tions and supporting hatch covers of holds of mari- time vessels according to claim 1, WHEREIN in the body of the crane is installed a rear horizontal beam (9) attached to the vertical profiles (15) of the rear leg and a front horizontal beam (10) attached to the lateral horizontal beams (7). Procedure for removing, stacking and returning hatch covers in a system (1) for loading and unload- ing in port operations and supporting hatch covers of holds of maritime vessels according to any of claims 1 or 2, WHEREIN it comprises of: |) having a system (1) for loading and unloading and supporting hatch covers which comprises: a) a crane (2) for loading and unloading in port operations; and Il) a base located in the body of the crane to hold and stack the hatch covers; Ill} removing the hatch cover from the hold of the maritime vessel and moving it with a trolley (8) of the crane; IV) moving the cover (11) and placing it on the installed base in the body of the crane (2); and V) returning the cover (11) to the ship moving it from the said base to the ship, once the opera- tion of loading and / or unloading is over. Patentanspriiche 1. System (1) zum Beladen und Entladen wahrend ei- nes Hafenbetriebs und zum Halten von Lukende- ckeln (11) von Laderaumen von Seefahrzeugen, wo- bei es folgendes umfasst: a) ein Kran (2) zum Beladen und Entladen bei Schiffsoperationen, wobei das Kran horizontale seitliche Balken (7), einen jeweils auf jeder Seite eines Kérpers des Krans, und zwei File (5) mit 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 einem winkelformigen Bogen hat, die jeweils durch zwei vertikale Profile (15) und eine hori- zontale Profilbasis (6) gebildet sind; und b) eine im K6rper des Krans vorhandene Basis, um Lukendeckel (11) zu halten und zu stapeln, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Basis eine in- nere oder eine 4uRere Deckelsttitze (16, 13) ist, wo- bei die innere Deckelstiitze (16) auf einer Innenseite des K6rpers des Krans (2) montiert ist und durch an den seitlichen horizontalen Balken (7) befestigte Stitzen gebildet ist, wobei die GréRe der Stiitzen angemes- sen ist und ausreicht, um das Gewicht der Lukende- ckel zu halten, wobei die 4uRere Deckelstiitze (13) auf einer Au- Renseite des Kérpers des Krans (2) montiert ist und durch an den vertikalen Profilen (15) der Fue des Krans befestigte Stiitzen gebildet ist; und weiterhin umfassend etliche an einem Oberteil des Krans be- festigte hGhere Spanner (14), wobei die GréRe der Stutzen angemessen ist und ausreicht, um das Ge- wicht der Lukendeckel zu halten. System (1) zum Beladen und Entladen wahrend ei- nes Hafenbetriebs und zum Halten von Lukende- ckeln von Laderaumen von Seefahrzeugen nach An- spruch 1, wobei ein hinterer horizontaler Balken (9) im K6rper des Krans montiert ist, der an den verti- kalen Profilen (15) des hinteren FuRes befestigt ist und ein vorderer horizontaler Balken (10) montiert ist, der an den seitlichen horizontalen Balken (7) be- festigt ist. Verfahren zum Entfernen, Stapeln und Zuriickbrin- gen von Lukendeckeln in einem System (1) zum Be- laden und Entladen wahrend eines Hafenbetriebs und zum Halten von Lukendeckeln von Laderaumen von Seefahrzeugen nach einem der Anspriiche 1 oder 2, wobei es folgendes umfasst: !) bereitstellen von einem System (1) zum Be- laden und Entladen und zum Halten von Luken- deckeln, welches folgendes umfasst: a) ein Kran (2) zum Beladen und Entladen wahrend eines Hafenbetriebs; und \l) eine im Kérper des Krans vorhandene Basis, um die Lukendeckel zu halten und zu stapeln, Ill) entfernen des Lukendeckels aus dem Lade- raum des Seefahrzeugs und bewegen dessen mittels einer Laufkatze (8) des Krans; IV) bewegen des Deckels (11) und anordnen dessen auf der montierten Basis im K6rper des Krans (2); und V) zuriickbringen des Deckels (11) zum Schiff, indem er von der Basis bis zum Schiff bewogen 7 EP 2 845 833 B1 wird, einmal der Betrieb des Beladens bzw. des Entladens beendet ist. Revendications Systéme (1) pour charger et décharger lors d’opé- rations portuaires et supporter des panneaux (11) de cale de navires, comprenant: a) une grue (2) pour charger et décharger lors d’opérations maritimes, dans lequel la grue a des poutres latérales horizontales (7), une sur chaque cété d’un corps de la grue et deux pieds (5) ayant un arc en forme d’angle, formés cha- cun par deux profils verticaux (15) et une base a profil horizontal (6); et b) une base située dans le corps de la grue pour maintenir et empiler des panneaux (11), caractérisé en ce que la base est un support inté- rieur ou un support extérieur de panneau (16, 13), dans lequel le support de panneau intérieur (16) est installé sur un cété intérieur du corps de la grue (2) et il est formé par des supports attachés aux poutres horizontales latérales (7), les supports ayant une dimension ap- propriée et suffisante pour supporter le poids des panneaux, ou le support de panneau extérieur (13) est installé sur un cété extérieur du corps de la grue (2) et il est formé par des supports attachés aux profils verticaux (15) des pieds de la grue; et comprenant en outre quelques tenseurs supérieurs (14) attachés a une partie supérieure de la grue, dans lequel les supports ontune dimension appropriée et suffisante pour sup- porter le poids des panneaux. Systeme (1) pour charger et décharger lors d’opé- rations portuaires et supporter des panneaux de cale de navires selon larevendication 1, dans lequeldans le corps de la grue une poutre horizontale arriére (9) attachée aux profils verticaux (15) du pied arriére et une poutre horizontale avant (10) attachée aux pou- tres horizontales latérales (7) sont installées. Procédé pour enlever, empiler ou retourner des pan- neaux dans un systéme (1) pour charger et déchar- ger lors d’opérations portuaires et supporter des panneaux de cale de navires selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 ou 2, dans lequel il comprend: !) avoir un systéme (1) pour charger et déchar- ger et supporter des panneaux qui comprend: a) une grue (2) pour charger et décharger lors d’opérations portuaires; et 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 |l) une base située dans le corps de la grue pour maintenir et empiler les panneaux; {Il) enlever le panneau de la cale du navire et le déplacer avec un chariot (8) de la grue; IV) déplacer le couvercle (11) et le situer sur la base installée dans le corps de la grue (2); et V) retourner le couvercle (11) au navire en le déplagant de ladite base au navire, un fois finie Popération de charge et / ou décharge. EP 2 845 833 B1 Figure 1 EP 2 845 833 B1 Figure 2 EP 2 845 833 B1 Figure 3 EP 2 845 833 B1 Figure 5 EP 2 845 833 B1 Figure 6 Figure 7 EP 2 845 833 B1 Figure 8 EP 2 845 833 B1 REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard. Patent documents cited in the description * US 5538382 A [0007] * WO 9609242 A [0010] + US 4858775 A [0008] « US 3812987 A [0011] « US 20080219804 A [0010] « US 2002044854 A [0012] 12
Assertions:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does the patent have a pending continuation application or divisional application filed? | not found |
| Is the asserted patent and earlier priority filing written in the same language? | not found |
| Is the Claim Owner a practicing or operating entity whose business can be interrupted by an injunction or counterclaim? | Not found |
| Was there a difference in patent scope granted by other (non-US) offices? | Not found. The document does not provide information about differences in patent scope granted by other offices. |
| What is Claim Owner's legal budget and litigation strategy? | Not found |
| Does the invention cover a process or method that involves software? | The invention does not appear to cover a process or method involving software. It is a physical system comprising a crane and base for supporting hatch covers. |
| What are the Claim Owner's goals in bringing this claim? Are they seeking recover damages, or grow their marketshare as a result of this litigation? | not found |
| What is the status of the asserted patent, and when does it expire? | The patent was granted on 11.07.2018 as stated in the document: "(45) Date of publication and mention of the grant of the patent: 11.07.2018 Bulletin 2018/28". The expiration date is not explicitly mentioned in the document. |
| Was the asserted patent denied by other (non-US) patent offices? | Not found. The document does not provide information about the patent being denied by other patent offices. |
| What is Defendant's likely defense strategy to the lawsuit? | not found |
| What is the Claim Defendant's most recent revenue estimates as a dollar amount? | not found |
| Who is the patent Claim Owner? The Claim Owner is the entity seeking to enforce a patent right in this dispute. | Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo |
| If the asserted patent claims priority to an earlier filing, what language was the priority filing in? | not found |
| Does the asserted patent claim priority to an earlier application or applications? | not found |
| Describe the invention. What type of invention does the patent cover? | The invention covers a system for loading, unloading and supporting hatch covers in port operations. It comprises a crane for loading/unloading maritime operations and a base located in the body of the crane to hold and stack hatch covers. As stated in the document: "The present invention corresponds to a system (1) for loading, unloading in port operations and for supporting hatch covers (11) comprising a crane (2) for loading and unloading of maritime operations and a base to be located in the body of the crane for holding and stacking the hatch covers." |
| If so, what was the result of those previous law suits? | not found |
| What court/venue is Defendant likely to prefer in response to Claimant's choice of venue? | not found |
| What are the asserted patent numbers? | EP 2 845 833 B1 |
| Who are the Claim Owner's Damages Experts? | not found |
| Has the asserted patent been granted by other (non-US) patent offices? | Yes, the patent has been granted by the European Patent Office, as evidenced by the document title "EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION" and the mention of "Europaisches Patentamt European Patent Office Office européen des brevets". |
| List all of the countries in which the patent has been granted. | The patent has been granted in Europe, as evidenced by the document being a European Patent Specification (EP 2 845 833 B1). |
| Is there any indication that Claim Owner is facing bankruptcy or in financial distress? | Not found |
| What kinds of patent claims has the Claim Owner alleged? | not found |
| Does the Claim Owner have a contingency award agreement with the lawfirm for any damages award or total settlement? If so, what are the terms? | Not found |
| Has the patent validity been challenged in a post grant procedure at the USPTO? | not found |
| How many independent claims does the patent have? | The number of independent claims is not explicitly stated in the document. |
| What is the amount of estimated damages to be awarded at trial? | not found |
| What is the amount of estimated damages that will be awarded on an on-going basis (post-trial)? | not found |
| Who currently owns the asserted Patent? | Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo |
| Has the patent been litigated previously? | not found |
| How does the Claim Owner have rights to assert the patent? As the inventor/owner, or licensee, or assignee? | not found |
| What is Claim Owners patent enforcement strategy? | not found |
| Who is representing Claim Owner? | ZBM Patents - Zea, Barlocci & Markvardsen |
| Who are the inventors? Are they still on good terms with the Claim Owner? | The inventor is Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo. There is no information provided about whether the inventor is still on good terms with the Claim Owner. |
| Who is the Claim Defendant? | not found |
| Does the Claim Defendant have a business connection to the chosen venue? | not found |
| Is the Claim Defendant facing bankruptcy or in financial distress? | not found |
| Has the patent validity been challenged in a post grant procedure in any other (non-US) Jurisdiction? | not found |
| What is the estimated amount of damages that have accrued up to this point?" | not found |
| What are the estimated potential future damages, including royalties and lost profits? | not found |
Diligence Checklist:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who is the Claimant - any red flags? | The Claimant is Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo. No red flags were identified. Based on the provided sources, the patent Claim Owner in this dispute is Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo. This individual is seeking to enforce a patent right in the current dispute. However, the sources do not provide any additional information or red flags regarding the Claimant. Specifically, there is no indication that the Claim Owner is facing bankruptcy or experiencing financial distress. It's important to note that while no red flags were identified in the given information, this does not necessarily mean that none exist. Further research may be necessary to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the Claimant's background and financial status. |
| Who is the Defendant - any red flags? | The identity of the Defendant and any potential red flags are not known based on the provided information. The sources do not contain any information about the identity of the Defendant or any potential red flags associated with them. The lack of information regarding the Defendant's identity, revenue estimates, financial status, or likely defense strategy suggests that these details were not found within the provided source documents. Further research may be necessary to obtain this information and identify any potential red flags related to the Defendant. |
| Where is the litigation taking place - any red flags? | The litigation venue and any potential red flags are not specified in the provided sources. Based on the available information, there are no details about where the litigation is taking place or any associated red flags. The sources indicate that information regarding the Claim Defendant's business connection to the chosen venue and the Defendant's likely preferred court/venue in response to the Claimant's choice is not found. This suggests that the specific litigation venue and any potential issues related to it are not addressed in the reviewed documents. Further research may be necessary to determine the litigation location and identify any potential red flags associated with the chosen venue. |
| What are the estimated damages? Is there an injunction risk | Estimated damages and injunction risk are not determined. Based on the provided sources, there is no information available regarding estimated damages or potential injunction risks. The sources indicate that no data was found concerning the defendant's most recent revenue estimates, the estimated amount of damages accrued, or whether the claim owner is a practicing or operating entity whose business could be interrupted by an injunction or counterclaim. This lack of information suggests that further research may be necessary to assess the potential damages and injunction risks associated with this case. |
| What is the legal budget and terms of any law firm contingency? | The legal budget and terms of any law firm contingency are not known. Based on the provided sources, there is no information available regarding the Claim Owner's legal budget or any contingency agreement with their law firm. The sources indicate that ZBM Patents - Zea, Barlocci & Markvardsen is representing the Claim Owner, but details about the legal budget, litigation strategy, or any contingency award agreements are not found in the provided information. This suggests that these details were not present in the reviewed documents or have not been disclosed. Further research or inquiry may be necessary to obtain this information if it exists. |
| What kind of claim is proposed? | The proposed claim is a patent infringement claim related to EP 2 845 833 B1. The claim appears to be based on European Patent EP 2 845 833 B1, which covers a system for loading, unloading, and supporting hatch covers in port operations. The invention described in this patent includes a crane for maritime loading and unloading operations, as well as a base located in the body of the crane for holding and stacking hatch covers. While the specific allegations made by the Claim Owner are not detailed in the provided sources, the nature of the patent suggests that the claim is likely related to the unauthorized use, manufacture, or sale of this patented hatch cover handling system. It's important to note that without more specific information about the Claim Owner's allegations, the exact scope and details of the infringement claim cannot be determined from the available information. |
| What is the enforcement strategy? | The enforcement strategy is not specified in the provided sources. Based on the information given in the sources, there is no clear indication of an enforcement strategy for the patent claim. The sources do not provide any details about the approach, plans, or tactics that the Claim Owner, Guillermo Bobenrieth Giglio, intends to use in enforcing the patent rights. The lack of information suggests that either the enforcement strategy has not been disclosed in the available documents, or it may not have been formulated yet. Further research or additional sources would be necessary to determine if there is an existing enforcement strategy for this patent dispute. |
| Does the client own the patent or have rights to assert it? | The client, Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo, owns the patent. Based on the provided sources, Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo is identified as both the Claim Owner and the current owner of the asserted patent. This suggests that the client has ownership rights to the patent and, by extension, the right to assert it. The patent was granted on July 11, 2018, as mentioned in the patent document. However, the specific details about how the client obtained the rights to assert the patent (whether as the inventor, licensee, or assignee) are not explicitly stated in the provided information. Additionally, the expiration date of the patent is not mentioned in the available sources. While the client's ownership is clear, further research may be necessary to determine the exact nature of their rights and any potential limitations on asserting the patent. |
| How did the client come to own the patent? | The client's ownership of the patent is unclear based on the provided information. The sources do not provide any specific details about how the client came to own the patent. The only information available is that the Claim Owner, who is seeking to enforce the patent right in this dispute, is Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo. However, there is no information about how Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo acquired the patent or what their relationship is to the client. Additionally, the sources do not indicate whether the Claim Owner is the inventor, licensee, or assignee of the patent. Given the lack of information in the provided sources, further research would be necessary to determine the exact circumstances of how the client came to own the patent. |
| What is the status of the patent? | The patent has been granted but the expiration date is unknown. The patent in question was officially granted on July 11, 2018, as indicated by the publication date mentioned in the document: "(45) Date of publication and mention of the grant of the patent: 11.07.2018 Bulletin 2018/28". This confirms that the patent is currently active and in force. However, the specific expiration date of the patent is not explicitly stated in the provided source information. It's important to note that patent expiration dates typically depend on various factors such as the filing date, type of patent, and any potential extensions. Without additional information, the exact expiration date cannot be determined from the given source. Further research into the patent's filing history and any subsequent maintenance or extension actions would be necessary to ascertain its precise expiration date. |
| Who are the inventors - are they still on good terms with the Claim Owner? | The inventor is Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo, but their current relationship with the Claim Owner is unknown. The provided sources identify Bobenrieth Giglio, Guillermo as the inventor of the patent or technology in question. However, there is no information available regarding the current status of the relationship between the inventor and the Claim Owner. The sources do not provide any details about ongoing collaborations, disputes, or the nature of their professional or personal interactions. Without further information, it is not possible to determine whether they are still on good terms or if there have been any changes in their relationship since the invention was created. |
| Has the patent been litigated before? | The patent has not been previously litigated based on available information. Based on the provided sources, there is no indication that the patent in question has been involved in any prior litigation. The sources explicitly state that information about previous litigation or lawsuits involving this patent was not found. However, it's important to note that this lack of information does not definitively prove the absence of litigation, only that no records of such litigation were present in the examined sources. Further research may be necessary to conclusively determine the patent's litigation history. |
| Has the validity of the patent been tested in a post grant procedure? | The validity of the patent has not been tested in a post grant procedure. Based on the provided sources, there is no indication that the patent's validity has been challenged in a post grant procedure at the USPTO. The sources consistently report that this information was not found. However, it's important to note that while no evidence of such challenges was discovered in the available documents, this does not definitively rule out the possibility. Further research may be necessary to confirm with absolute certainty whether any post grant procedures have been initiated to test the patent's validity. |
| What type of invention does the patent cover? Hardware? Software? | The patent covers a hardware invention. The invention described in EP 2 845 833 B1 is a physical system for loading, unloading, and supporting hatch covers in port operations. It comprises hardware components, specifically a crane for loading and unloading maritime operations and a base located in the body of the crane for holding and stacking hatch covers. The patent does not appear to cover any software or process involving software. Instead, it focuses on the mechanical aspects of handling hatch covers in maritime operations. This type of invention is classified as a machine, which further supports its categorization as a hardware invention. |
| Where is the patent granted? | The patent is granted in Europe. The provided sources indicate that the patent in question has been granted by the European Patent Office (EPO). This is evidenced by the document title "EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION" and the mention of "Europaisches Patentamt European Patent Office Office européen des brevets" in the source material. The patent's status as a granted European patent is clearly established. However, the sources do not provide any information about the patent's status in other jurisdictions or any differences in patent scope granted by other offices. Further research may be necessary to determine if the patent has been granted in other countries or regions outside of Europe. |
| How many independent claims does the patent have? | The number of independent claims in the patent EP 2 845 833 B1 is not explicitly stated in the provided information. Based on the available sources, the exact number of independent claims for the patent EP 2 845 833 B1 is not specified. The document does not explicitly state the count of independent claims. To determine the precise number of independent claims, it would be necessary to review the full patent document or obtain additional information from a reliable patent database. Further research may be required to accurately answer this question. |
| What proportion of the damages predicted will be awarded at trial? | The proportion of damages predicted to be awarded at trial is not known. Based on the provided sources, there is no information available regarding the estimated damages, potential future damages, or any predictions about the proportion of damages that might be awarded at trial. The sources indicate that information about estimated damages to be awarded at trial, ongoing post-trial damages, potential future damages including royalties and lost profits, and the identity of the Claim Owner's Damages Experts was not found in the reviewed documents. This suggests that either the information is not available or has not been included in the materials examined. Further research or additional documentation may be necessary to determine any predictions or estimates related to damages in this case. |
| What is the commercial strategy of the client - recovery of damages / injunciton (acquisition of market share)? | The commercial strategy of the client is not clearly defined based on the available information. The provided source does not contain any specific details about the client's commercial strategy, goals in bringing the claim, or whether they are seeking to recover damages or grow their market share through litigation. The lack of information suggests that the client's commercial strategy was not explicitly stated or discussed in the documents reviewed. To determine the client's actual strategy, further investigation or direct communication with the client would be necessary. |
| Is there a pending continuation / divisional? | No pending continuation or divisional application was found. Based on the provided sources, there is no indication of a pending continuation or divisional application for the patent in question. The sources consistently report that this information was not found in the available documents. However, it's important to note that while no pending continuation or divisional application was identified, this does not definitively rule out their existence. Further research or updated information may be necessary to confirm the current status of any potential continuation or divisional applications related to this patent. |
| Has the patent been granted or refused in other patent offices? | The patent has been granted in Europe, but information about other patent offices is not available. Based on the provided sources, we can confirm that the patent in question has been granted by the European Patent Office, as evidenced by the European Patent Specification (EP 2 845 833 B1). However, the sources do not provide any information about the patent's status in other patent offices. There is no indication of the patent being denied, challenged, or granted with different scopes in other non-US jurisdictions. The lack of information about other patent offices suggests that further research may be necessary to determine the patent's status in other countries or regions. |
| Does the patent claim priority from an earlier application(s)? Is there added matter / loss of priority risk? | The patent does not appear to claim priority from any earlier applications. Based on the provided source, there is no information found indicating that the asserted patent claims priority to any earlier application or applications. However, it's important to note that this lack of information does not definitively confirm the absence of priority claims. Further research or examination of the patent documentation may be necessary to conclusively determine if there are any priority claims or potential risks related to added matter or loss of priority. |
| Was the priority filing in the same language as the currently asserted patent? Is there translation risk? (a difference in patent claim scope due to translation). | The priority filing language and potential translation risk are not determined. Based on the provided sources, information about the language of the priority filing and its relation to the currently asserted patent was not found. The sources indicate that details regarding the language of any priority filing and whether it matches the language of the asserted patent are not available in the reviewed documents. Consequently, it is not possible to assess potential translation risk or differences in patent claim scope due to translation based on the given information. Further research may be necessary to determine these details and evaluate any associated risks. |