Tsubakimoto Seiko Co. Ltd. v. THK K.K.
Supreme Court of Japan
Case No. 1994 (o) 1083
Relevant factsFree
The Tokyo High Court found the accused ball-spline-shaft-bearing device met nearly all claim limitations of the patent, differing only in minor structural respects, while solving the same problem and achieving the same result as the patented invention.
IssueFree
Whether an accused device can be infringing where it does not contain all of the literal elements of the claim.
Related cases
Corning Glass Works v. Sumitomo Electric USA, Inc.868 F.2d 1251 (1989)Graver Tank v. Linde Air Products Co.339 U.S. 605 (1950)Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., Ltd.535 U.S. 722 (2002)Warner-Jenkinson Company v. Hilton Davis Chemical Co.520 U.S. 17 (1997)Johnson & Johnston Associates Inc. v. R.E. Service Co., Inc.285 F.3d 1046 (2002)