Ravin Crossbows' Summary Judgment Motion
Ravin Crossbows' Summary Judgment Motion
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1
II. Claim Construction .................................................................................................................... 3
A. Legal Standard ....................................................................................................................... 3
B. The Components of a Crossbow MCP’s Inconsistent Infringement Mappings ..................... 3
C. The Components of a Crossbow MCP’s Inconsistent Infringement Mappings ..................... 4
D. Omnibus Claim Construction for “Stock” Across Patent Families ....................................... 5
E. Claim Constructions for the ’375 Patent Family .................................................................. 12
F. Claim Constructions for the ’893 Patent Family .................................................................. 18
G. Claim Constructions for the ’220 Patent .............................................................................. 18
III. SUMMARY JUDGMENT ........................................................................................................ 23
A. Legal Standard ..................................................................................................................... 23
B. Ravin is Entitled to Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement and/or Invalidity of the ’435
Patent......................................................................................................................................... 25
C. Ravin is Entitled to Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ‘’375 Patent Family 37
D. Ravin is Entitled to Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ’433 Patent Family
and/or Invalidity of the ’939 Patent .......................................................................................... 46
E. Ravin is Entitled to Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of the ’893 Patent Family .. 49
F. Ravin is Entitled to Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement and/or Invalidity of the ’220
Patent......................................................................................................................................... 54
G. Ravin is Entitled to Summary Judgment of Non-Infringement of the D’195 Patent ........... 64
IV. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 76
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TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
AIA Eng’g Ltd. v. Magotteaux Int’l S/A, 657 F.3d 1264, 1278 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (quoting Talbert
Fuel Sys. Patents Co. v. Unocal Corp., 275 F.3d 1371, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2002) ....................... 21
Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. v. Dow Chemical Co. is instructive. Akzo, 811 F.3d at 1342–43 ....... 44
Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. v. Dow Chemical Co., 811 F.3d 1334, 1342 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ........... 28
AquaTex Indus., Inc. v. Techniche Sols., 479 F.3d 1320, 1328–29 (Fed. Cir. 2007) ................... 28
Baxalta Inc. v. Genentech, Inc., 972 F.3d 1341, 1346 (Fed. Cir. 2020) ....................................... 40
Chef Am., Inc. v. Lamb-Weston, Inc., 358 F.3d 1371, 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2004) .............................. 55
CIAS, Inc. v. All. Gaming Corp., 504 F.3d 1356, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2007) ..................................... 39
CommScope Techs. LLC v. Dali Wireless Inc., 10 F.4th 1289, 1298 (Fed. Cir. 2021) ................ 28
Convolve, Inc. v. Compaq Computer Corp., 812 F.3d 1313, 1318 (Fed. Cir. 2016) .................... 54
Crown Packaging Tech., Inc. v. Ball Metal Beverage Container Corp., 635 F.3d 1373, 1380
(Fed. Cir. 2011) (quoting Ariad Pharms., Inc. v. Eli Lilly & Co., 598 F.3d 1336, 1351 (Fed.
Cir. 2010) (en banc) .................................................................................................................. 66
Crown Packaging Tech., Inc. v. Ball Metal Beverage Container Corp., 635 F.3d 1373, 1380
(Fed. Cir. 2011) (quoting PowerOasis, Inc. v. T-Mobile USA, Inc., 522 F.3d 1299, 1307 (Fed.
Cir. 2008) .................................................................................................................................. 29
Curver Luxembourg, SARL v. Home Expressions Inc., 938 F.3d 1334, 1340–43 (Fed. Cir. 2020)
................................................................................................................................................... 69
Dominion Energy, Inc. v. Alstom Grid LLC, 725 F. Appx. 980, 986–87 (Fed. Cir. 2018) .......... 80
Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., 543 F.3d 665, 676 (Fed. Cir. 2008) ................................. 78
Engel Indus., Inc. v. Lockformer Co., 96 F.3d 1398, 1405 (Fed. Cir. 1996) ................................ 28
Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. v. Covidien, Inc., 796 F.3d 1312, 1335 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ................. 72
Gemalto, 754 F.3d at 1374............................................................................................................ 44
Gemstar-TV Guide Int’l, Inc. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n, 383 F.3d 1352, 1363 (Fed. Cir. 2004) ..... 45
In re Chudik, 851 F.3d 1365, 1373 n.3 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (citing In re Man Mach. Interface Techs.
LLC, 822 F.3d 1282, 1286 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ............................................................................. 46
In re SP Controls, Inc., 453 F. App'x 990, 994 (Fed. Cir. 2011) .................................................. 39
In re SurgiSil, L.L.P., 14 F.4th 1380, 1381 (Fed. Cir. 2021) ........................................................ 69
Intel Corp. v. Qualcomm Inc., 21 F.4th 801, 809 (Fed. Cir. 2021) (quoting Phillips, 415 F.3d at
1324) ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Kyocera Senco Industrial Tools Inc. v. ITC, 22 F.4th 1369, 1382–83 (Fed. Cir. 2022) (citing
Becton, Dickinson & Co. v. Tyco Healthcare Grp., LP, 616 F.3d 1249, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2010)
................................................................................................................................................... 36
Leggett & Platt, Inc. v. VUTEk, Inc., 537 F.3d 1349, 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (quoting Golden
Bridge Tech., Inc. v. Nokia, Inc., 527 F.3d 1318, 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2008) ................................. 29
Littelfuse, Inc. v. Mersen USA EP Corp., 29 F.4th 1376, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2022) ......................... 40
MicroStrategy Inc. v. Bus. Objects, S.A., 429 F.3d 1344, 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (citing Mas-
Hamilton Grp. v. LaGard, Inc., 156 F.3d 1206, 1211 (Fed. Cir. 1998) ................................... 28
Mosaic Brands, Inc. v. Ridge Wallet LLC, 55 F.4th 1354, 1362 (Fed. Cir. 2022) (quoting SRAM
Corp. v. AD-II Eng’g, Inc., 465 F.3d 1351, 1357 (Fed. Cir. 2006) .......................................... 29
Nat’l Prods., Inc. v. ProClip USA, Inc., No. 20-cv-439-wmc, 2022 WL 2304114, at *6 (W.D.
Wisc. June 27, 2022) (citing Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986) ................... 27
Nautilius, Inc. v. Biosig Instr., Inc., 134 S. Ct. 2120, 2124 (2014) .............................................. 29
Nazomi Commc’ns, Inc. v. Arm Holdings, PLC, 403 F.3d 1365, 1368 (Fed. Cir. 2005)…………7
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O2 Micro Int'l Ltd. v. Beyond Innovation Tech. Co., 521 F.3d 1351, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2008)....... 15
OddzOn Prods., Inc. v. Just Toys, Inc., 122 F.3d 1396, 1405 (Fed. Cir. 1997)............................ 80
Pause Tech., LLC v. TiVo, Inc., 419 F.3d 1326, 1334 (Fed. Cir. 2005) ....................................... 54
Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1309 (Fed. Cir. 1999) ..……………7
Power Integrations, Inc. v. Fairchild Semiconductor Int’l, Inc., 904 F.3d 965, 971 (Fed. Cir.
2018) (citing Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1312–13 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc) ....... 7
Rivera v. ITC, 857 F.3d 1315, 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2017) …………………………………………. 68
Shoes by Firebug LLC v. Stride Rite Children’s Group, LLC, 962 F.3d 1362, 1367 (Fed. Cir.
2020) (quoting Catalina Mktg. Int’l, Inc. v. [Link], Inc., 289 F.3d 801, 808 (Fed.
Cir. 2002) .................................................................................................................................. 23
SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Apotex Corp., 403 F.3d 1331, 1340 (Fed. Cir. 2005) ................... 29
Source Search Techs., LLC v. LendingTree, LLC, 588 F.3d 1063, 1075 (Fed. Cir. 2009) ……...32
Super-Sparkly Stuff, LLC v. Skyline USA, Inc., 836 F. App’x 895, 898 (Fed. Cir. 2020) ............ 72
TIP Sys., LLC v. Phillips & Brooks/Gladwin, Inc., 529 F.3d 1364, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (quoting
Warner-Jenkinson Co. v. Hilton Davis Chem. Co., 520 U.S. 17, 38–40 (1997) ...................... 28
Tomita Techs. USA, LLC v. Nintendo Co. Ltd., 681 F. App’x 967, 972 (Fed. Cir. 2017) ............ 46
U.S. Water Servs., Inc. v. Novozymes A/S, 843 F.3d 1345, 1350 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (quoting Eli
Lilly & Co. v. Zenith Goldline Pharm., Inc., 471 F.3d 1369, 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2006) ............... 28
v. 7
Wi-LAN USA, Inc. v. Apple Inc., 830 F.3d 1374, 1381–82 (Fed. Cir. 2016 (citing Phillips, 415.
F.3d at 1314–15) ......................................................................................................................... 7
Wis. Cent., Ltd. v. Shannon, 539 F.3d 751, 756 (7th Cir. 2008) (quoting Automobile Mechanics
Local 701 Welfare & Pension Funds v. Vanguard Car Rental USA, Inc., 502 F.3d 740, 748
(7th Cir. 2007)........................................................................................................................... 27
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I. INTRODUCTION
The plaintiff in this action, MCP IP, is a shell company that holds patents that are mostly
either acquired by MCP IP or that purport to have been invented by Matthew McPherson—the
sole owner behind MCP IP and a number of other archery companies. For nearly the entirety of
his career, McPherson focused solely on vertical bows and did not sell crossbows because he was
“never really [] a crossbow fan.”1 McPherson only began selling crossbows in September 2012
after “huge pressure” from his dealer network and a realization that he was losing revenue.2
McPherson finally relented to the pressure in 2012 and sold his first crossbow under the Mission
brand in September 2012. Despite the benefit of his established business and dealer network with
vertical archery, McPherson’s crossbow business (sold under the Mission brand) was met with
only limited success and his crossbows have languished while the market has continued to innovate
and move forward. Indeed, Mission’s “flagship” crossbow, the “Sub-1,” has been on the market
Ravin Crossbows did not enter the crossbow market until the fall of 2016—four years after
McPherson sold his first crossbow. Despite its “infancy,” Ravin revolutionized the crossbow
industry with its portability, maneuverability, and overall ease of use. Ravin’s crossbows do not
require years of training and the significant strength required of vertical bow users (or traditional
crossbow users). Ravin’s crossbows also do not require that users carry, lift, and make precise aim
using a heavy crossbow with large limbs extending well off to the sides. Further, Ravin crossbows
simplify the task of loading an arrow and cocking the crossbow so that any user who can turn a
crank with little more than six pounds of force (or activate a motor) can load and cock a Ravin
crossbow. Ravin was the first company to make crossbows accessible to anyone in the industry.
1
[Link]
2
Id., see also [Link]
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For its innovation in the crossbow industry, Ravin has been awarded numerous accolades
such as “Favorite Crossbow,” “Bow of the Year,” and “Best Crossbow,” and is consistently ranked
as one of the top 5 crossbows in the world. Ravin’s success is driven by the passionate commitment
of its team to the singular goal of developing the world’s best crossbows. Ravin continues to
innovate, introducing more new crossbows in the last year than nearly any other company,
including Matthews.
Instead of competing in the marketplace, MCP has chosen to litigate with hopes of
overwhelming both Ravin and the Court with 10 patents covering a myriad of technologies. The
problem for MCP is that these patents are simply a bad fit. They claim outdated technology that
Ravin simply does not use (and that McPherson himself does not even use in many of his own
products), and some are directed towards vertical bows and not crossbows. To avoid this problem,
MCP’s infringement claims essentially remove entire limitations from the claims, assert invalid
patents, and redefine standard components within crossbows. MCP’s hope is that the sheer number
of patents and asserted claims will ensure its survival at summary judgment. The number of
patents, however, should not be an impediment to the Court granting summary judgment because
MCP’s claims are weak and should not be allowed in front of a jury.
For nine of the patents, there is only one accused product—the Ravin R500/R500E
(“R500”). The tenth patent only adds two additional accused products—the R26/R26X (“R26”),
and the R29/R29X (“R29”)—but the operation of the products is nearly identical for purposes of
this motion. Thus, Ravin has streamlined its summary judgment motion to present one or two
focused arguments that are dispositive for each patent and each Accused Product such that the
Court can, and should, dispense with this entire case through summary judgment.
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A. Legal Standard
“Claim terms are given their ordinary and customary meaning, which is the meaning the
term would have to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.” Power
Integrations, Inc. v. Fairchild Semiconductor Int’l, Inc., 904 F.3d 965, 971 (Fed. Cir. 2018) (citing
Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1312–13 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc)). While “‘[t]here is no
magic formula or catechism for conducting claim construction[,] . . . Claim language and the
specification (written description) are the dominant sources of interpretation, and prosecution
history can matter to a lesser degree[.]” Intel Corp. v. Qualcomm Inc., 21 F.4th 801, 809 (Fed. Cir.
A proper claim construction starts first with the claim language itself, and then “turn[s] to
the intrinsic record to determine whether the context in which the disputed term sits shines light
on its meaning.” Wi-LAN USA, Inc. v. Apple Inc., 830 F.3d 1374, 1381–82 (Fed. Cir. 2016 (citing
Phillips, 415. F.3d at 1314–15). Where “necessary, courts may also look to extrinsic evidence,
often presented in the form of expert testimony.” Nazomi Commc’ns, Inc. v. Arm Holdings, PLC,
403 F.3d 1365, 1368 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (citing Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d
To aid in understanding the components of a crossbow, Ravin provides this general picture
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SOF ¶ 14. Though the Ravin bows in this case are significantly more advanced and complex, this
basic identification of parts from Bowhunter Ed is helpful in orienting the Court on the components
that will be discussed below. The parties’ disputes in this case center around the limbs, riser, cables
(also known as the “power cables”), the stock, the cams, the flight groove/arrow track (often
referred to as a “rail”) and the scope rail (the component to which the scope attaches), each of
While many of the claim terms identified by the parties for construction have a well-known
plain and ordinary meaning that would not typically require an explicit construction, MCP’s
example, while the parties’ proposed constructions for “stock” differ, both parties believe “stock”
should be consistently construed across the Asserted Patents. Yet the component MCP accuses as
the “stock” in the R500 changes between Asserted Patents. For example, for the ’375 Patent
Family, the alleged stock is the lower portion of the crossbow that includes the grip, trigger, and
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rail and extends between the butt and the riser, but does not include the R500’s finger guard,3
which is accused as the first cable positioner attached to the stock. SOF ¶ 168 (emphasis added).
Similarly, for the ’433 Patent Family, the alleged stock is again the lower portion of the crossbow
that includes the grip, trigger, and rail and extends between the butt and the riser, but now only the
plastic slider within the finger guard is accused as the cable positioner. SOF ¶ 169. Then, for the
’893 Patent Family, MCP changes its mapping so that the stock now includes the finger guard.
SOF ¶ 170. Lastly, for the ’435 Patent, while it is also not clear what components MCP alleges
infringe the claimed stock, it is clear that the R500’s finger guard is now mapped as the claimed
extension member, instead of either being the stock or cable positioner as MCP had previously
claimed. SOF ¶ 171. Accordingly, Ravin has attempted to propose constructions for these
structural components that clearly delineate their bounds to ensure the respective claim terms are
consistently construed according to their plain and ordinary meaning across the Asserted Patents.
“Stock” is recited in the asserted independent claims of every asserted utility patent except
for the ’220 and ’435 Patents. SOF ¶¶ 16–17, 34, 47–48, 92–94, 96–97, 106–107, 109–10, and
119. The proper construction for “stock” is “the central component of the crossbow to which
everything else attaches.” This is consistent with the disclosure of every Asserted Patent that
claims a stock.
‘375, ‘757, and ‘665 Patent Family: In the discussion of Figure 1 in the ‘375 Patent4, the
inventor of the ‘375 Patent differentiates the “stock” from the other components of the crossbow.
3
As shown in SOF ¶ 216, the finger guard is the component that has the triangular shapes that covers the rail on which
the arrow rests and from which the arrow is expelled. Its purpose is to protect the user from the more dangerous part
of the crossbow.
4
The ’375 Patent has a familial relationship with the ‘757 and ‘665 Patents and all share the same specification and
disclosure. SOF ¶ 67.
5
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Specifically, the ’375 Patent notes “a crossbow 10 comprises a compound bow portion 20 and a
stock portion 40. The bow portion 20 comprises limbs 12, rotatable members 14 and a bowstring
16.” SOF ¶ 68. Importantly, this disclosure shows the ‘375 Patent separately defines each of these
components. Moreover, the ‘375 Patent makes clear that stock 40 is the component to which
everything else on the crossbow attaches. For example, the ‘375 Patent discusses how the “first
cable positioner 48” is … “attached to the stock 40.” SOF ¶ 70. Figure 1 also clearly shows how
these various components are all attached to the stock (or to another piece that is then attached to
the stock). SOF ¶ 71. For example, as can be seen in Figure 1 below, the cable positioner 48
(including body 24) are attached to the stock 40. Limbs 12 attach to the stock 40. The scope rail
attaches to the stock. Each of these separate components all attach to the central component of the
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Id. The prosecution history of the ’375 Patent also compels the same conclusion. There, the original
claims of the ’375 Patent were rejected over another patent issued to Darlington. SOF ¶ 22. There,
the examiner identified component 12 of Darlington as being the “stock” as seen in Figure 1 of
Darlington below:
SOF ¶¶ 23–24. As Figure 1 shows, component 12 (identified as the stock by the examiner) is the
component of the Darlington crossbow to which every other component attaches. This indicates
that even the Examiner was applying the same construction to, and understanding of, the term
Moreover, MCP’s response to the rejection shows it was applying the same understanding
as well. To overcome Darlington, MCP added narrowing limitations to claims 1, 5, 15, 18, 19, and
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20 requiring the cable positioner (48/24) be attached to the stock, citing Figure 1 as support. SOF
¶ 28. The attachment to the stock is clearly seen in original Figure 2 from the ’375 Patent
Application:
SOF ¶ 20. Here, the cable positioner comprises a light gray portion (body 24) that is fixedly
attached to the stock via two visible bolts. SOF ¶ 21. In both Darlington and the ‘375 Patent, the
stock is the key component to which the cable positioner would attach thus further emphasizing
that the correct construction of “stock” is the central component to which everything else attaches.
‘433 and ‘939 Patent Family: The ‘433 Patent family (which includes the ‘939 Patent)
similarly describes the “stock.” For example, in describing Figure 4, the ’433 Patent states “the
crossbow 10 comprises a stock 12, a trigger 14, a string latch 16 and a bow portion 20. [] The bow
portion 20 can comprise any suitable type of bow. In some embodiments, the bow portion 20
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comprises a prod 22 that attaches the stock 12, a first limb 24 and a second limb 26.” SOF ¶ 99
(emphasis added). Like the ‘375 Family, the ‘433 Patent treats the stock as the central component
to which everything else on the crossbow attaches. The centrality of the stock as the attachment
SOF ¶ 100. Limbs 24 and 26, connect to stock 12. The trigger 14 is connected to stock 12. The
scope rail attaches to stock 12. Prod 22 connects to stock 12. Again, the centrality of the stock is
made clear from this Figure (and others). It is always the key component to which everything else
attaches.
‘435 Patent: Not surprisingly, the ’435 Patent also is similar. In describing the crossbow
shown in Figure 2, the ’435 Patent notes “a crossbow 10 is shown comprising a bow portion 30, a
barrel 14, a stock 16, a latch 20 and a trigger 24. The bow portion 30 desirably comprises at least
one limb 34 and a string 42.” SOF ¶ 122. A quick review of Figure 2 makes clear that the stock
(once again) is the component to which everything else on the crossbow attaches:
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SOF ¶ 121.
‘893 and ‘056 Patents: The ’893 Patent family (which includes the ‘893 and ‘056 Patents)
is no different. In describing Figure 1, the ’893 Patent notes “a crossbow 10 comprises a stock 20,
a trigger 12, a latch 14, and a bow portion 30. In some embodiments, the bow portion 30 comprises
a prod 32. In some embodiments, the prod 32 is attached to the stock 20. In some embodiments,
the prod 32 supports a first limb 40 and a second limb 42.” SOF ¶ 113. The specification of the
‘893 Patent makes clear that the stock is the component to which everything else on the crossbow
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SOF ¶ 112. Once again, the prod 32, limbs 40/42, scope rail and other components are all attached
to a central component—the stock 20. There is no other disclosure in the ’893 Patent that describes
any other arrangement—the stock is always the central component to which everything else
attaches.
This is one of those cases where “the ordinary meaning of [the] claim language ... may be
readily apparent even to lay judges, and claim construction in such cases involves little more than
the application of the widely accepted meaning of commonly understood words.” O2 Micro Int'l
Ltd. v. Beyond Innovation Tech. Co., 521 F.3d 1351, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2008. That the stock is the
central component to which everything else attaches is “readily apparent” and the Court should
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construe “stock” consistent across all patents—“the central component to which everything else
attaches.”
MCP’s Definition of Stock: To avoid the problem of inconsistency between each patent
with its identification of different components of a “stock” in the Accused Products, MCP has
offered a definition of stock that is simply “a supporting framework or structure.” While this
definition would, on its face, appear to be the same as what Ravin is proposing, it is not. First,
MCP’s construction fails to give guidance on where the stock would reasonably begin and end
when compared to the other components of the crossbow. For example, when looking at the
crossbow depicted in Figure 1 of the ’375 Patent, MCP’s definition leaves it up to the jury and the
Court to guess as to whether the prod, limbs, or scope rail are part of the “structure” or
Because MCP’s “construction” does not provide any guidance, it runs afoul of Federal
Circuit precedent. In O2 Micro, the Federal Circuit made clear that a claim construction that simply
leads to the parties further disputing the scope of that construction “does not resolve the parties’
dispute, and claim construction requires the court to determine what claim scope is appropriate in
the context of the patents-in-suit.” O2 Micro, 521 F.3d at 1361. Moreover, the Federal Circuit has
found it is improper to leave the jury free to consider the claim construction arguments, a role that
is solely with the Court. Id., at 1361–62. Because MCP’s definition does not provide any specifics,
and simply pushes the claim construction fight to the jury, it is improper and should be rejected.
1. Extending Between
The independent claims of both the ’375 Patent and the ’757 Patent all require a bowstring
and at least a first cable extending between the first and second rotatable members, while three of
the four independent claims further require a second cable extending between the first and second
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rotatable members. SOF ¶¶ 16–17, 34–35. Properly construed, each of these claims require that
the bowstring, first cable, and second cable extend between, and contact, the first and second
rotatable members.
At the outset, the ’375 Patent specification confirms that “extending between” means the
same thing for each of the bowstring, first cable, and second cable. See, e.g., SOF ¶¶ 73–74
Moreover, every embodiment shown in the Figures in the ’375 Patent has a bowstring and cables
extending between and contacting or connecting to the first and second rotatable members. SOF
SOF ¶ 75.
The ’375 Patent specification also makes clear that the bowstring, first cable, and second
cable’s connection to each rotatable member is necessary to the operation of the claimed invention.
Indeed, as the bowstring is pulled back from brace orientation to a drawn orientation, the bowstring
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unwinds from the cams as depicted in red below. When the trigger is pulled and the bolt released,
the bowstring travels rapidly forward where it is then taken up by (e.g., wrapped around) the cams.
SOF ¶ 76 (annotated).
If the bowstring were not connected to the cams (the “rotatable members”), the bow simply
would not function as intended. The bowstring would hang slack and would interfere with the
operation of the crossbow. The specification of the ‘375 Patent is consistent with this expected
operation of the crossbow. For example, discussing Figure 3, the ’375 Patent explains the “drawing
the bowstring 16 causes the rotatable members to rotate, where at least one of the first or second
cables 18, 19 will be taken up on a cam track 15 . . . caus[ing] the limbs 12 to flex, storing energy.”
SOF ¶ 80 (emphasis added). Similarly, discussing Figure 10, the ’375 Patent specification explains
that “a cable 18, 19 comprises an end portion 68 that is arranged to feed out from the rotatable
member 14 during at least a portion of the draw cycle. In some embodiments, an end portion 68 is
arranged to unspool from the rotatable member 14 during at least a portion of the draw cycle. In
some embodiments, an end portion 68 wraps around at least a portion of spool member 74 in the
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brace condition. In some embodiments, the end portion 68 does not contact the spool member 74
Further still, the ’375 Patent explains that in some embodiments, “either the first cable 18
or the second cable 19 comprise a control cable or secondary feed out cable.” SOF ¶ 82. The ’375
Patent also makes clear that in some embodiments, the “cables 18, 19 and rotatable members 14”
described in U.S. Patent No. 6,990,970 may be utilized. SOF ¶ 83. Unsurprisingly, the ’970 Patent
explains that its bowstring, control cable, and power cable not only “extend between” the rotatable
members but are also “anchored to” each of the rotatable members. SOF ¶ 84. This is also seen in
Figure 2 of the ‘970 Patent (incorporated into the ‘375 Patent by reference), which shows that the
cables (both bowstring and power cables) are attached/affixed to, or otherwise in contact with, the
rotatable members.
SOF ¶ 85.
The ‘375 Patent also incorporated another one of McPherson’s patents, U.S. Patent No.
8,020,544. SOF ¶ 86. In the ’544 Patent, McPherson describes his invention of “force vectoring
anchors” for use with rotatable members (cams). In that patent, McPherson again notes the
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“bowstring 18 can extend between the first and second rotatable members 20, 22,” which are
meant to take up at least a portion of the bowstring. SOF ¶ 88 (emphasis added). McPherson also
makes clear the cams include grooves in which the bowstring is oriented. But perhaps most
importantly, the ’544 Patent makes clear he is using “vectoring anchor 30” as a “effective anchor
point … of the power cable 26” meaning the bowstring and power cables are affixed/attached to
Given the ’375 Patent’s extensive intrinsic evidence, the only proper construction for
“extending between” must require that each of the bowstring, first cable, and second cable extend
between and contact, or are anchored to, the first and second rotatable members.
separating.” But this construction provides no understanding of how it would be applied or what
component would, or would not, meet the claim limitation. It is a textbook example of error under
O2 Micros because jurors would simply be left to guess as to what “at, into, across a space” means
or the bounds of such a construction. O2 Micro, 521 F.3d at 1361–62. Such a construction will
simply lead to the parties “providing an argument identifying the alleged circumstances when the
requirement specified by the claim term must be satisfied,” which is not a construction that will
resolve the parties’ dispute. Id., at 1361. Thus, MCP’s construction can be rejected outright under
the guidance of O2 Micro. More construction is necessary there to define the metes and bounds of
MCP’s construction also is improper because it renders the crossbow unusable. For
example, it would encompass a bowstring that is simply “across” or “into” the space between the
cams without actually contacting the cams. As discussed above, the very purpose of the cams is to
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take up the strings and allow for the transfer of energy that propels the arrow forward. A string
simply “across” or “into” the space between the cams without being attached to the cams would
render the crossbow useless. “‘[A] construction that renders the claimed invention inoperable
should be viewed with extreme skepticism.’” AIA Eng’g Ltd. v. Magotteaux Int’l S/A, 657 F.3d
1264, 1278 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (quoting Talbert Fuel Sys. Patents Co. v. Unocal Corp., 275 F.3d
1371, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2002, vacated and remanded on other grounds, 537 U.S. 802 (2002)).
The claimed “first cable segment” is recited in independent Claims 1 and 12 of the ’665
Patent while the claimed “second cable segment” is recited only in independent Claim 1 of the
’665 Patent. SOF ¶¶ 47–48. This is a slightly different phrasing than used in the ’375 and ’757
Patents, but it is intended to perform the very same purpose and should be construed similarly.
Claim 1 and claim 12 of the ‘665 Patent includes a “bowstring” just like the ‘375 and ‘757
Patents. Because the ’665 Patent is a continuation of the ’375 and ’757 Patents, it includes the
same disclosures, figures, and incorporations by reference discussed above relating to the
bowstring. SOF ¶ 67. Thus, the specification makes clear that the bowstring must be attached to,
Claim 1 and Claim 12 of the ‘665 Patent also include a “first cable segment” and a “second
cable segment,” which are not used anywhere in the specification, only the claims. SOF ¶¶ 47–48.
Thus, the only disclosure that would apply to what this “cable segment” is, and how it operates,
would be the discussions relating to the “first cable” and “second cable” of the ‘375 and ‘757
Patents. And, as discussed above, the only disclosure in the specification is that these cables that
extend between the first and second rotatable members. See supra Section II.E.1. There is no other
disclosure and there is no other embodiment where the cables (cable segment or otherwise) attach
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to something other than the rotatable members. Thus, the same construction that is used for
“extending between” should be applied here to the “cable segments,” which requires them the
cable segments to be attached/affixed to, or otherwise in contact with, the rotatable members. Id.
Ravin contends each of these limitations should have their plain and ordinary meaning and
do not require an explicit construction. However, MCP has proposed explicit constructions for
each of these terms. Not yet having had the benefit of MCP’s arguments in support of these explicit
constructions, Ravin will provide its responsive arguments regarding these terms in its responsive
The ‘220 Patent is probably the best example of the patent with the worst “fit” in this
matter. As the Court will see, a simple examination of the ‘220 Patent shows that it was never
contemplated to apply to crossbows. There is not a single picture of a crossbow and the
specification does not include crossbows within its definition of archery bows. In fact, the
specification never even uses the word “crossbow.” Undeterred, MCP is asserting this patent
against Ravin’s crossbows and, to do so, it has contorted the meaning of the claims significantly,
The preambles of Claims 1 and 10 of the ’220 Patent both recite “[a] compound archery
bow having a brace condition and a drawn condition[.]” SOF ¶¶ 141–42. Properly construed,
“compound archery bow” should be limiting and construed as encompassing only vertical
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of the entire[] … patent to gain an understanding of what the inventors actually invented and
intended to encompass by the claim.’’” Shoes by Firebug LLC v. Stride Rite Children’s Group,
LLC, 962 F.3d 1362, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2020) (quoting Catalina Mktg. Int’l, Inc. v. [Link],
Inc., 289 F.3d 801, 808 (Fed. Cir. 2002). Among other instances, a preamble may serve as a claim
limitation (1) when the preamble “is ‘necessary to give life, meaning, and vitality’ to the claim[,]”
(2) when limitations in the body of the claim depend “on a particular disputed preamble phrase for
antecedent basis,” and (3) “[w]hen the preamble is essential to understand limitations or terms in
the claim body.” Catalina Mktg., 289 F.3d at 808–09. Here, a review of the entire ’220 Patent and
the claim language itself confirms MCP did not intend its claims to encompass crossbows and that
the only invention actually invented by MCP was a vertical compound archery bow.
Beginning with the claim language itself, both Claims 1 and 10 rely on the recitation of
“compound archery bow” in the preamble for antecedent basis in the body of the claim. SOF ¶¶
141–42. The preamble is essential to understand other limitations in the claim body because the
claim term “riser” (appearing in the first limitation following the preamble) has as specific meaning
The inventors used the word “riser” just one time in the detailed description of the
specification: “Whereas older bows typically had spacing between the limbs 16, 18 that
continuously increased as the limbs 16, 18 were traversed from the handle/riser 14 toward the axles
26, 28 . . .” SOF ¶ 146. Everywhere else in the Detailed Description, the ’220 Patent simply refers
to it as a “handle.” SOF ¶ 147. Thus, in the ’220 Patent, the “riser” is synonymous with the handle,
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Thus, the ‘220 Patent makes clear the “riser” can only be considered interchangeable with
the “handle” on a vertical bow. On a crossbow, the riser is located towards the front and top of the
crossbow, while the handle is located below and rearward. SOF ¶ 14. A user would not grip the
riser in a crossbow as a handle, especially given that it would place the user’s hand in a dangerous
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Id.
Next, the specification of the ’220 Patent confirms MCP’s invention was limited to vertical
compound archery bows. As noted above, there is not a single mention of crossbows in the ‘220
Patent. Starting with the figures, the ‘220 Patent includes ten figures, five of which depict the
entirety of embodiments of “an archery bow,” which is depicted exclusively as a vertical bow and
not a crossbow. SOF ¶ 155. As for the specification, the ’220 Patent never describes a crossbow
embodiment of the claimed invention and, in fact, the ’220 Patent never even uses the word
“crossbow.” SOF ¶¶ 143–44. And the discussions that are included in the specification refer only
to vertical bows, not crossbows. Id. For example, in discussing a hypothetical reference line drawn
between the axles of the first and second rotatable members in compound archery bows, the ’220
Patent states that “line would typically be oriented vertically.” SOF ¶ 145. But in a crossbow, that
For at least these reasons, Claims 1 and 10 of the ’220 Patent have no support for extending
the invention to a crossbow and the term “compound archery bow” should be construed as being
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2. Riser
Independent Claims 1 and 10 of the ’220 Patent each require “a riser supporting a first limb
and a second limb” and “defining a predetermined location.” SOF ¶¶ 141–42. This Court should
give the claimed “riser” its plain and ordinary meaning which, in view of the intrinsic and extrinsic
First, as noted above, the Detailed Description of the ’220 Patent uses the term riser just
once—at column 4, line 37. There, the ’220 Patent says “handle/riser 14.” SOF ¶ 146. Thus, the
Applicant clearly intended that the claimed riser must include the handle. Moreover, every other
mention of component 14 in the Detailed Description of the ’220 Patent calls it the “handle,” not
the riser. SOF ¶ 147. Notably, this is true even when the describing the claimed requirements for
the riser. For example, the ’220 Patent explains that the claimed predetermined location 30, which
Claims 1 and 10 demands be defined by the riser, is “on the handle 14.” SOF ¶ 148. Similarly,
discussing the claimed movement of the reference plane towards the predetermined location during
the drawing process, the ’220 Patent explains “[m]ovement of line/plane b in a direction toward
the handle 14 can allow more energy to be stored in the bow.” SOF ¶ 149. The description then
goes on to describe various embodiments of the claimed invention where the specific movement
of the reference plane differs, but in each embodiment the reference plane moves in reference to
the handle 14. SOF ¶¶ 150–54. Additionally, as shown above, the handle/riser 14 is exclusively
The intrinsic evidence’s consistent and exclusive description of the riser as including the
bow’s handle confirms that the claimed “riser” must include at least the bow’s handle. In addition,
because a riser that includes a handle is only ever found on a vertical compound bow, the ’220
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Patent’s description and discussion of its riser is further evidence that Claims 1 and 10 should be
A. Legal Standard
1. Summary Judgment
Summary judgment is appropriate “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as
to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P.
56(a). Thus, “[s]ummary judgment must be granted against a party who fails to make a showing
sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to a party’s claims on which that party
has the burden of proof.” Nat’l Prods., Inc. v. ProClip USA, Inc., No. 20-cv-439-wmc, 2022 WL
2304114, at *6 (W.D. Wisc. June 27, 2022) (citing Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323
(1986). “A dispute is genuine ‘if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict
for the non-moving party.’” Id. (quoting Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248
(1986)). The Court reviews motions for summary judgment “‘construing all facts, and drawing all
reasonable inferences from those facts, in favor of … the non-moving party.’” Wis. Cent., Ltd. v.
Shannon, 539 F.3d 751, 756 (7th Cir. 2008) (quoting Automobile Mechanics Local 701 Welfare &
Pension Funds v. Vanguard Car Rental USA, Inc., 502 F.3d 740, 748 (7th Cir. 2007).
2. Infringement
MCP alleges Ravin infringes the Asserted Claims by direct, literal infringement, and also
alleges that Ravin infringes the asserted claims of the ’375 Patent Family and ’433 Patent Family
5
As a threshold matter, MCP did not present a theory of infringement under the doctrine of equivalents for either the
’375 Patent Family or the ’433 Patent in its Infringement Contentions and has therefore waived the right to assert its
infringement theories under the doctrine of equivalents. See ViaTech Techs. Inc. v. Microsoft Corp., 733 F. App’x
542, 553 n.5 (Fed. Cir. 2018); Teashot LLC v. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., 595 F. App’x 983, 987 (Fed.
Cir. 2015).
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For literal infringement “the meaning ascribed to the claims is significant.” CommScope
Techs. LLC v. Dali Wireless Inc., 10 F.4th 1289, 1298 (Fed. Cir. 2021). So “[t]he burden is on a
patent owner to show that ‘the properly construed claim[s] read[] on the accused device[s]
exactly.’” Id. (quoting Engel Indus., Inc. v. Lockformer Co., 96 F.3d 1398, 1405 (Fed. Cir. 1996)
But if “even one claim limitation is missing or not met, there is no literal infringement.”
MicroStrategy Inc. v. Bus. Objects, S.A., 429 F.3d 1344, 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (citing Mas-
Hamilton Grp. v. LaGard, Inc., 156 F.3d 1206, 1211 (Fed. Cir. 1998).
As for infringement under the doctrine of equivalents, infringement “may be found when
the accused device contains an ‘insubstantial’ change from the claimed invention[,]” which “may
be determined . . . based on the ‘triple identity’ test, namely, whether the element of the accused
device ‘performs substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain the same
result.’” TIP Sys., LLC v. Phillips & Brooks/Gladwin, Inc., 529 F.3d 1364, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2008)
(quoting Warner-Jenkinson Co. v. Hilton Davis Chem. Co., 520 U.S. 17, 38–40 (1997). To survive
a motion for summary judgment, the plaintiff must come forth with “particularized testimony and
linking argument on a limitation-by-limitation basis that create[s] a genuine issue of material fact
as to equivalents.” AquaTex Indus., Inc. v. Techniche Sols., 479 F.3d 1320, 1328–29 (Fed. Cir.
2007; Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. v. Dow Chemical Co., 811 F.3d 1334, 1342 (Fed. Cir. 2016.
3. Invalidity
A claimed invention will be invalid as anticipated where a single prior art reference
“‘disclose[s] each and every feature of the claimed invention, either explicitly or inherently.’” U.S.
Water Servs., Inc. v. Novozymes A/S, 843 F.3d 1345, 1350 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (quoting Eli Lilly &
Co. v. Zenith Goldline Pharm., Inc., 471 F.3d 1369, 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2006). “While anticipation is
a question of fact, ‘it may be decided on summary judgment if the record reveals no genuine
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dispute of material fact.’” Leggett & Platt, Inc. v. VUTEk, Inc., 537 F.3d 1349, 1352 (Fed. Cir.
2008) (quoting Golden Bridge Tech., Inc. v. Nokia, Inc., 527 F.3d 1318, 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2008).
Thus, “‘a moving party seeking to invalidate a patent at summary judgment must submit such clear
and convincing evidence of facts underlying invalidity that no reasonable jury could find
otherwise.’” Mosaic Brands, Inc. v. Ridge Wallet LLC, 55 F.4th 1354, 1362 (Fed. Cir. 2022)
(quoting SRAM Corp. v. AD-II Eng’g, Inc., 465 F.3d 1351, 1357 (Fed. Cir. 2006)).
To comply with the definiteness requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 2, the claim, when read
in light of the specification, must apprise those skilled in the art of the scope of the claim.
SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Apotex Corp., 403 F.3d 1331, 1340 (Fed. Cir. 2005. “[A] patent is
invalid for indefiniteness if its claims, read in light of the specification delineating the patent, and
the prosecution history, fail to inform, with reasonable certainty, those skilled in the art about the
scope of the invention.” Nautilius, Inc. v. Biosig Instr., Inc., 134 S. Ct. 2120, 2124 (2014).
Similarly, to comply with the written description requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 1, the
patent specification must describe an invention in sufficient detail that one skilled in the art can
clearly conclude that the inventor invented the claimed invention. Synthes USA, LLC v. Spinal
Kinetics, Inc., 734 F.3d 1332, 1341 (Fed. Cir. 2013). While this is a question of fact, summary
judgment is appropriate “‘in cases where no reasonable fact finder could return a verdict for the
non-moving party.’” Crown Packaging Tech., Inc. v. Ball Metal Beverage Container Corp., 635
F.3d 1373, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (quoting PowerOasis, Inc. v. T-Mobile USA, Inc., 522 F.3d 1299,
The ‘435 Patent was not originally invented by McPherson. Instead, he purchased it shortly
after his dealers forced him to enter the crossbow market. SOF ¶ 118. McPherson then hid evidence
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of a competitor’s crossbow—the Stryker crossbow—from the Patent Office so that the ‘435 Patent
would issue, thus protecting his entrance into the crossbow market. In order to avoid the allegations
of fraud committed by McPherson in obtaining the ‘435 Patent, MCP has put itself into a box in
attempting to balance both its infringement allegations and its contention that the ‘435 Patent is
valid. Both cannot be true in this case. Either the ‘435 Patent is not infringed by the Ravin Accused
none of the R500, R26, or R29 infringe “the latch positioned in the cavity” limitation of Claim 1.
the R26 and R29 because they do not include one either the claimed “butt” or claimed “cheek rest.”
Relevant to the latch limitation at issue, Claim 1 first requires “a latch configured to retain
said string in a drawn condition.” SOF ¶ 119. Further, Claim 1 also defines “an extension member
positioned above said stock, the extension member comprising a cheek rest and a picatinny rail,”
and further recites that the claimed “cavity” is defined by “the extension member and stock.” Id.
However, to avoid a finding of invalidity over the Stryker crossbow that McPherson did not
disclose to the Patent Office, MCP has contended that not only must the latch be “positioned in
the cavity,” but that it also be “beneath the cheek rest” specifically. SOF ¶¶ 128–139.
MCP’s contention regarding the location of the cheek rest and the latch is crystal clear and
set forth in both its opposition to the Motion to Amend and its expert report. First, in its opposition
to the Motion to Amend, MCP distinguished the Stryker crossbow and explained that the ’435
Patent claims require the cheek rest extend over the latch to create the claimed cavity:
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SOF ¶ 129. What this means, according to MCP, is that the cheek rest of the ’435 Patent claims
Id.
MCP then further distinguished the Stryker crossbow from the claims of the ’435 Patent
by claiming its missing feature—what makes them different (and not an invalidating piece of prior
art for the ‘435 Patent)—is the fact that Stryker crossbows place the cheek rest behind, and not
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MCP then further clarified what this distinction looks like in a crossbow by identifying the
cheek rest (in green) and the cavity (in purple). According to MCP, because the cheek rest is not
over the latch in the cavity, the Stryker does not meet the limitations of the ‘435 Patent:
SOF ¶¶ 128–132; 270. MCP’s expert maintained the same contentions. Id.; see also SOF ¶¶ 133–
39.
Thus, according to MCP, “the Styker lacks fundamental limitations representing one of the
The Federal Circuit has repeatedly held that “‘[i]t is axiomatic that claims are construed
the same way for both invalidity and infringement.’” Source Search Techs., LLC v. LendingTree,
LLC, 588 F.3d 1063, 1075 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (collecting cases). Thus, under MCP’s contentions, if
the cheek rest of the Accused Products is not over the latch, then it “lacks fundamental limitations”
of the ‘435 Patent and cannot infringe under MCP’s own construction.
There is no genuine dispute that the latch of the R500, R26, and R29 is not positioned
“beneath the cheek rest” in the drawn orientation. Indeed, the Accused Products utilize a similar
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setup to the Stryker bow where the cheek rest ends before the latch thus keeping the latch out from
being underneath the cheek rest. This is easily seen in the below annotated photos of each Accused
Product showing the location of the cheek rest (circled in green), the latch (yellow line) and the
(R500)
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(R26)
(R29)
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SOF ¶¶ 242, 246, 250 (annotated). This was confirmed by Ravin’s expert, Dirk Duffner. SOF ¶¶
243, 247, 250. And even by MCP’s own expert’s evidence, which shows the latch after the end of
(R500)
(R26)
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(R29)
These pictures show the Ravin Accused Products are just like the Stryker with the cheek
rest not extending over the latch. Accordingly, because even MCP’s evidence shows the alleged
latch of each Accused Product is not positioned beneath the cheek rest, Ravin is entitled to
Claim 1 of the ’435 Patent explicitly recites (1) a “butt located rearward of the latch, the
butt spaced apart from the handgrip” and, separately, (2) “an extension member positioned above
said stock, the extension member comprising a cheek rest and a picatinny rail.” SOF ¶ 119. Thus,
there is “a presumption that those components are distinct.” Kyocera Senco Industrial Tools Inc.
v. ITC, 22 F.4th 1369, 1382–83 (Fed. Cir. 2022) (citing Becton, Dickinson & Co. v. Tyco
Healthcare Grp., LP, 616 F.3d 1249, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2010). That presumption is confirmed here
by the ’435 Patent. Not only are the butt and cheek rest exclusively described as separate
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components, the ’435 Patent envisions an embodiment where the cheek rest—but not the butt—is
removable. SOF ¶¶ 123–126. Similarly, while the ’435 Patent explicitly envisions that the cheek
rest can be “a unitary portion of the extension member 48,” the ’435 Patent never similarly suggests
the butt can be a “unitary part of the cheek rest” or vice versa. SOF ¶¶ 125, 127.
There is no dispute that neither the R26 nor the R29 utilize a butt that is separate and distinct
(R26)
(R29)
SOF ¶¶ 245, 249. Accordingly, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of non-infringement of the
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3. Ravin is entitled to summary judgment that the asserted claims of the ’435
Patent are invalid as anticipated
MCP cannot have its cake and eat it too. It simply cannot balance its allegations of
infringement and validity. Thus, if MCP argues the Accused Products still infringe regardless of
the location of the latch and the cheek rest, then the Asserted Claims are invalid as being
anticipated by Stryker.
Ravin has put forth evidence, including expert testimony, that the prior art Stryker
crossbow includes every limitation of Claim 1 and dependent Claims 6–8, 10–13, and 15. SOF ¶¶
254–55, 258–286. MCP does not dispute Ravin’s evidence except that evidence relating to the
“latch being positioned in the cavity” limitation of Claim 1. Id. Thus, there is no genuine dispute
that Ravin has shown by clear and convincing evidence that the Stryker discloses every limitation
besides the “latch positioned in the cavity” limitation. Moreover, because MCP’s alleged evidence
regarding the “latch positioned in the cavity” limitation is insufficient as a matter of law to create
a genuine dispute, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment that Claims 1, 6–8, 10–13, and 15 are
invalid as anticipated.
As already explained, the claims must be construed the same for infringement and
invalidity. See supra Section [Link], if the Court finds that MCP has not narrowed the scope
of the “latch being positioned in the cavity” limitation to require the latch be positioned beneath
the cheek rest, that broad interpretation of the claims also applies to the invalidity analysis. Id.
MCP’s only argument for why the Stryker does not include a “latch being positioned in the cavity”
is that the latch of the Stryker crossbow is not positioned “beneath the cheek rest.” SOF ¶ 270.
Indeed, Dr. Paulus admits the latch is positioned in the cavity. Id. But whether the latch is
positioned “beneath the cheek rest” is immaterial if MCP has not narrowed the scope of the claims.
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Limitation 1(g) of the ‘435 Patent is the “extension member” limitation. That claim
requires an extension member “comprising a cheek rest and a picatinny rail.” SOF ¶ 119. Then the
claim tells us that a cavity is formed: “the extension member and the stock defining a cavity.” Id.
Finally, “the latch [is] positioned in the cavity.” Id. Notably, in defining the term “extension
member” the claim uses the word “comprising,” which “is a term of art used in claim language
which means that the named elements are essential, but other elements may be added and still form
a construct within the scope of the claim.” In re SP Controls, Inc., 453 F. App'x 990, 994 (Fed.
Cir. 2011) In other words, “the term “comprising” is well understood to mean “including but not
limited to.” CIAS, Inc. v. All. Gaming Corp., 504 F.3d 1356, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2007). Thus, the
extension member of the ’435 Patent must include, but is not limited to, a cheek rest and a picatinny
rail.
The claim then requires the extension member and stock to define a cavity. Applying the
Federal Circuit’s long-standing definition of “comprising,” this means the cavity will be formed
by a component that includes, but is not limited to, a cheek rest and picatinny rail. Because the
word “comprising” is used, the claim is broadly written to encompass a scenario where some other
component of the extension member is directly over the latch, so long as the cheek rest is still part
of the extension member. This reading of the claims is confirmed by dependent claim 2, which
requires “at least a portion of said cheek rest oriented over said latch.” SOF ¶ 120. Because
dependent claim 1 depends from claim 1, and because claim 2 further narrows claim 1, this
language means claim 1 is broader. Indeed, “by definition, an independent claim is broader than a
claim that depends from it, so if a dependent claim reads on a particular embodiment of the claimed
invention, the corresponding independent claim must cover that embodiment as well. Otherwise,
the dependent claims would have no scope and thus be meaningless.” Littelfuse, Inc. v. Mersen
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USA EP Corp., 29 F.4th 1376, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2022); see also See Baxalta Inc. v. Genentech, Inc.,
972 F.3d 1341, 1346 (Fed. Cir. 2020 (“The district court’s construction [of the independent claim]
which excludes these explicitly claimed embodiments [in the dependent claims] is inconsistent
MCP’s construction of no cheek rest over the latch and the cavity runs afoul of this
precedent. Claim 2 confirms that claim 1 would include embodiments where “at least a portion”
of the cheek rest is over the latch. SOF ¶ 120. Similarly, this means claim 1 must be broader and
would also include embodiments where all of, or none of, the cheek rest is oriented over the latch,
so long as the cheek rest is still part of the components that “comprise” the extension member.
Under this interpretation, Stryker would anticipate claim 1 of the ’435 Patent because its
extension member “comprises” (includes, but is not limited to) the cheek rest and picatinny rail.
Thus, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of anticipation of Claim 1 of the ’435 Patent unless
MCP has presented evidence sufficient to create a genuine dispute that the Stryker’s latch is not
MCP has not done so. In fact, Dr. Paulus’ readily admits the Stryker’s latch (annotated in
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SOF ¶ 270. Accordingly, MCP has not presented any evidence sufficient to create a genuine
dispute that the Stryker does not disclose every limitation of Claims 1, 6–8, 10–13, and 15, and
MCP has failed to come forth with evidence sufficient to create a genuine dispute of
material fact that the R500 infringes any of the asserted claims within the ’375 Patent Family either
1. The R500 does not literally infringe the “extending between” limitation of the
asserted claims of the ’375 Patent Family
As explained above, properly construed, each of the independent claims asserted from the
’375 Patent and Claim 18 of the ’757 Patent require at least a [first cable / first cable segment] that
extends between and contacts, or connects to, the first and second rotatable members. See supra
Section II.E.1. and II.E.2. Similarly, Claims 1 and 18 of the ’375 Patent and Claims 1 and 15 of
the ’665 Patent further require a [second cable / second cable segment] that extends between and
contacts, or connects to, the first and second rotatable members. Id. There is no dispute that the
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R500/R500E do not include any cables that extend between and contact, or connect to, the first
and second rotatable members. SOF ¶¶ 173–82. Instead, the R500’s cables extend from cam-to-
limb (e.g., a cable is connected to a cam on the right and the limb on the left and vice-versa):
SOF ¶ 173–77. As shown in the close up of the left rotatable member below, there is no dispute
that the cables’ connection to the limb is not contacting or connecting to the rotatable member but
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SOF ¶ 179. And MCP concedes the alleged first and second cables do not extend between and
contact or connect to the first and second rotatable members. SOF ¶¶ 181–82. Accordingly, Ravin
is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law of no literal infringement of the ’375, ’757, and
’665 Patents.
2. The R500 does not infringe the “extending between” limitation of the asserted
claims of the ’375 Patent Family under the doctrine of equivalents
MCP has also alleged that, if the Asserted Claims of the ’375 Patent Family are construed
to require the bowstring, first cable / first cable segment, and second cable / second cable segment
extend between and contact, or be anchored to, the first and second rotatable members, the
R500/R500E still infringe under the doctrine of equivalents. More specifically, MCP alleges the
cabling arrangement. SOF ¶ 183 However, MCP has failed to present sufficient evidence as a
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matter of law to create a genuine dispute of material fact. As such, Ravin is entitled to summary
judgment of no infringement of the Asserted Claims of the ’375 Patent Family under the doctrine
of equivalents.
The totality of Dr. Paulus’ opinions that the R500 infringes the “extending between”
[T]he R500/R500E design of the cable extending between the cams and the
opposing axle structure (see discussion above) would still be performing the same
function, which is allowing the cams to be drawn together as the bow is drawn. The
R500/R550E [sic] would be performing that function in the same way by rotating
the cams and “taking up” the cables on the cams. And the result is the same – energy
is stored in the limbs as a result of the above operation.
See, SOF ¶ 183. Dr. Paulus’ conclusory and scant opinions are not sufficient to create a genuine
dispute of material fact to survive summary judgment of non—infringement under the doctrine of
The Federal Circuit’s decision in Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. v. Dow Chemical Co. is
instructive. Akzo, 811 F.3d at 1342–43. There, the Federal Circuit affirmed summary judgement
of non-infringement under the doctrine of equivalents where the plaintiff’s only evidence was
“Dow's and Michelman's piping and heat exchangers perform the same function
(maintain the pressure) and achieve the same result (maintaining sufficient pressure
to prevent boiling of the aqueous medium) in substantially the same way (by
collecting the dispersed material in a contained volume) as the vessel used by the
inventors in Examples 2 and 3 of the patent.”
Id. at 1343. The Court faulted the expert because he had not “articulate[d] how Dow’s accused
process operates in substantially the same way” and had “fail[ed] to articulate which construction
of ‘collecting’ he invokes, much less articulate how the differences between the two processes are
insubstantial.” Id. Thus, the Court held that “[s]uch ambiguity and generality cannot create a
genuine issue of material fact.” Id.; see also Gemalto, 754 F.3d at 1374 (concluding the plaintiff
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failed to establish infringement under the doctrine of equivalents because they lacked the
Dr. Paulus’ testimony suffers from the exact flaws as those rejected by the Federal Circuit
in Akzo. Like the expert in Akzo, Dr. Paulus provided a single, conclusory sentence on each of the
function, way, and result prongs. SOF ¶ 183. And again like the expert in Akzo Dr. Paulus did not
explain how the differences between the two arrangements were insubstantial. Id. This threadbare
testimony is wholly insufficient and does nothing more than parrot a legal conclusion. There is
nothing here for a jury to consider and, thus, Dr. Paulus’ conclusory and unsupported opinions
regarding infringement under the doctrine of equivalents are insufficient as a matter of law to
create a dispute sufficient to defeat Ravin’s motion for summary judgment. Akzo, 811 F.3d at 1343.
Bolstering this conclusion is the unrebutted testimony of Dr. Duffner. Dr. Duffner
explained that Dr. Paulus had over-generalized the function, way, and result of both the alleged
inventions of the ’375 Patent Family and the R500/R500E to such an abstract level, and in
contradiction to his own earlier opinions, that any cabling arrangement used in a dual cam bow or
crossbow would be an equivalent. SOF ¶¶ 184–85. Dr. Duffner then provided substantial analysis
under the function, way, and result prongs. SOF ¶¶ 186–201. Most importantly, Dr. Duffner
explained how the novel cabling arrangement of the R500 allowed it attain results that the claimed
cabling arrangement cannot obtain. SOF ¶¶ 194–201. For example, the novel cabling arrangement
of the R500 results in double the amount of mechanical advantage as the R500 is drawn, allows
for stiffer limbs and a narrower form factor, and allows for a more advantageous bowstring angle.
SOF ¶¶ 195–201. These improved results confirm Dr. Duffner’s opinions that the R500 cabling
arrangement is not an equivalent under the function, way, result test. Gemstar-TV Guide Int’l, Inc.
v. Int’l Trade Comm’n, 383 F.3d 1352, 1363 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (holding that an accused product did
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not infringe because it “relied on different technology that could produce results unattainable by”
the corresponding structure in the subject patent); see also Tomita Techs. USA, LLC v. Nintendo
Co. Ltd., 681 F. App’x 967, 972 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (same).
Claim 12 of the ’665 Patent requires a first cable positioner “arranged to bias” the first
cable segment away from the shooting axis. SOF ¶ 48. The Federal Circuit has observed that the
plain and ordinary meaning of “arranged to” is analogous to “adapted to,” “which means ‘made
to,’ ‘designed to,’ or ‘configured to[,]’” but “occasionally has a broader meaning of ‘capable of’
or ‘suitable for.’” In re Chudik, 851 F.3d 1365, 1373 n.3 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (citing In re Man Mach.
Interface Techs. LLC, 822 F.3d 1282, 1286 (Fed. Cir. 2016). Here, the intrinsic evidence confirms
the plain and ordinary meaning of “arranged to” in Claim 12 is the narrower “made to” or
“designed to.”
The ’665 Patent explains that “[d]esirably, the cables 18, 19 are held away from the
shooting axis 34, which allows clearance for a bolt 80.” SOF ¶ 69. To accomplish this, “the
crossbow 10 comprises a first cable positioner 48 arranged to position the first cable 18.” Id. And
“[i]n some embodiments, the first cable positioner 48 comprises a body 24 that is arranged to
position the first cable 18 away from the shooting axis 34.” SOF ¶ 70. This interaction is depicted
in Figure 1, where the first cable 18 would intersect and interfere with the shooting axis if the cable
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SOF ¶ 71.
This is further confirmed by the ’665 Patent’s prosecution history. The Examiner rejected
Claims 1 and 12 as anticipated in view of U.S. Patent No. 6,990,970 to Darlington. SOF ¶ 50. The
Examiner stated that Darlington taught “a first cable positioner arranged to bias the first cable
segment (56) . . . and the first cable positioner is located above the shooting axis (56 places cable
28 above the shooting axis, Fig. 5-6).” SOF ¶ 51. Distinguishing Darlington, the applicant
explained that, in one embodiment, the native positioning of Darlington’s cables did not interfere
with the shooting axis, so the alleged cable positioner was not being provided to laterally bias the
cables. SOF ¶¶ 58–61. Instead, the applicant argued, the alleged cable positioner was being
provided only to “prevent them from fouling each other as they pass over one another.” SOF ¶¶
63–65. Thus, the applicant confirmed the alleged cable positioner must be arranged to bias the
There is no genuine dispute that the alleged cable positioner of the R500 is not designed to
bias the first cable segment away from the shooting axis. SOF ¶¶ 202–06. Instead, because the
R500’s unique cam-to-limb cabling arrangement allows the various power cables to pass through
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the stock and finger guard of the R500 without interfering with the shooting axis (shown in red),
there is no need for a component to bias the cables away from the shooting axis:
SOF ¶ 178 (annotated); see also SOF ¶¶ 202–06. The alleged cable positioner is used simply to
prevent the various power cables from fouling one another, not to move them out of the path of
the arrow:
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SOF ¶ 206. Indeed, even Dr. Paulus’ acknowledges the alleged cable positioners serve a different
purpose. SOF ¶¶ 203–04. Nor has MCP come forth with any evidence to suggest the alleged cable
positioners are designed to bias the power cables away from the shooting axis. SOF ¶ 205.
Accordingly, because the R500’s alleged cable positioner is not “arranged to bias” the first
cable segment away from the shooting axis, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of non-
4. The R500 does not include a cable positioner that “biases” the first or second
cable away from the shooting axis
Claims 1 and 18 of the ’375 Patent and Claim 1 of the ’665 Patent require the alleged cable
positioner biases the first cable away from said stock, while Claim 18 of the ’757 Patent requires
the alleged cable positioner biases the first cable in a first direction and a second cable in a second
direction different from the first direction. SOF ¶¶ 16–17, 34. MCP’s proposed construction for
“cable positioner” requires “an arrangement of components designed to position a cable.” Thus,
applying MCP’s construction, each of Claims 1 and 18 of the ’375 Patent, Claim 1 of the ’665
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Patent, and Claim 18 of the ’757 Patent require a cable positioner designed to position and bias the
cables. Id. As explained above, there is no genuine dispute that the R500’s alleged cable positioner
is not designed to bias the cables because the cables naturally fall away from the shooting axis, so
First, the R500 does not include a “cable positioner arranged to bias” as recited in independent
Claims 1 and 8 of the ’433 Patent and independent Claim 1 of the ’939 Patent or a stock “arranged
to bias said cable away from the shooting axis” as recited in Claim 11 of the ’939 Patent. Second,
the R500 does not include an aperture “wherein a surface of the aperture biases the cable in a
direction lateral to the shooting axis” as required by independent Claim 14 of the ’433 Patent.
Third, either the R500 does not include a “shortest distance” where the “shortest distance” is
greater in a first draw orientation than in a second draw orientation or the “shortest distance”
As explained for the “arranged to bias” limitation of the ’665 Patent, “arranged to” means
“designed to,” and there is no genuine dispute that the alleged cable positioner of the R500/R500E
is not designed to bias the alleged cable in a direction lateral to the shooting axis. See supra Section
III.C.3. By the same token, there is no genuine dispute that the R500’s stock is not designed to
bias the cables away from the shooting axis. SOF ¶ 207. Thus, for those same reasons, summary
warranted.
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2. The R500/R500E do not include an aperture having a surface that biases the
alleged cable in a direction lateral to the shooting axis
Claim 14 requires that the aperture the claimed cable extends through has a surface that
“biases the cable in a direction lateral to the shooting axis.” SOF ¶ 94. But even viewing the
evidence most favorably to MCP that the R500’s cable is being biased by something, as shown
above there is no dispute that the cable is not being biased by the surface of the aperture. SOF ¶
208. This is because of the unique arrangement of the cables being connected from cam-to-limb,
which precludes any bias from a surface of an aperture because the cables naturally avoid the
shooting axis. SOF ¶¶ 173, 178, 192. Thus, summary judgment of non-infringement of Claim 14
3. The R500/R500E do not include a first draw orientation and a second draw
orientation, where the “shortest distance” is greater in the first draw orientation
than in the second draw orientation
Claims 1 and 11 of the ’939 Patent are uniquely flawed. One the one hand, at first glance
the claims appear clear—they explicitly recite how to determine what the claimed “shortest
distance” is: the “shortest distance” is the measure of separation between the claimed cable and
shooting axis, as measured perpendicular to the shooting axis. SOF ¶¶ 96–97. The claims then rely
on that “shortest distance” as antecedent basis to require that specific measurement for the
remainder of the claim. Id. Specifically, the claims go on to require that “the crossbow having a
first draw orientation and a second draw orientation, the shortest distance being greater in the first
draw orientation than in the second draw orientation.” Id. But, ironically, it is that clarity that
causes the problems. Either Claims 1 and 11 are unresolvedly indefinite or, if the Court determines
Claim 1 and 11 are sufficiently clear to avoid indefiniteness, then Claims 1 and 11 are
uninfringeable.
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Starting with the claim language itself, the claims are directed to a crossbow comprising,
among other things, a “cable” that is “separated from said shooting axis by a shortest distance as
measured perpendicular to the shooting axis.” Id. The claimed crossbow also has “a first draw
orientation and a second draw orientation” where “the shortest distance” is “greater in the first
draw orientation than in the second draw orientation.” Id. Already there is ambiguity.
Is the “shortest distance” measured in the first draw orientation or the second? The claims
do not say. Does “shortest” mean “shortest,” i.e., the cable and shooting axis would intersect? That
would conflict with the limitation that a cable positioner be arranged to bias said cable away from
the shooting axis and be separated from the shooting axis. Id.
Then we have the problem of “shortest distance” compared to what? The bowstring? The
second cable? The stock? No answer is provided by the claims or the specification.
Then the claim requires a shortest distance as “measured perpendicular” to the shooting
axis. But in which direction? Perpendicular just means at a 90º degree angle to. Any given point
on the cable will have a corresponding point on the axis "perpendicular” to it.
How can the “shortest distance” be “greater” in the first draw orientation than the second
draw orientation? If one distance is “greater” than another it is, by its definition, not the “shortest.”
As Dr. Paulus affirmatively opined, “there will always be a shortest distance from the cable to the
shooting axis in the [] crossbows. By definition, there will always be one.” SOF ¶ 209 (emphasis
added).
The specification offers no help to resolve this ambiguity. The claimed “shortest distance”
In some embodiments, a distance between the shooting axis 46 and the first cable
34 in a first draw orientation is different from the distance in a second draw
orientation. For example, in some embodiments, a distance between the shooting
axis 46 and the first cable 34 in a brace orientation is different from the distance in
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SOF ¶ 104 (emphasis added). This is just as unclear as the claims. The distance between the
shooting axis and the first cable should be different in the brace and cocked orientation, but “[t]he
distance” should be the shortest distance. Again, which distance? Two distances are referenced—
the distance in the brace orientation and the distance in the cocked orientation—and they are
described as being different from one another. Yet the ’939 Patent simply states the distance is,
In sum, because the poor drafting of Claims 1 and 11 of the ’939 Patent make it impossible
for a POSITA to ascertain the scope of the claims with reasonable certainty, Ravin is entitled to
First, independent Claims 1 and 11 of the ’893 Patent and independent Claim 1 of the ’056 Patent
each require the entirety of the alleged rotatable member overlap with the structural portion of the
stock, either generally or in a drawn orientation. Because there is no genuine dispute that the entire
rotatable members of the R500/R500E do not overlap with the structural portion of the stock,
summary judgment of non-infringement of the Asserted Claims of the ’893 Patent and of Claim 1
of the ’056 Patent and its dependent claims is warranted. Second, Ravin is entitled to summary
judgment of non-infringement of Claims 1 and 11 of the ’893 Patent and Claims 5, 6, 14, and 15
of the ’056 Patent because no portion of the alleged rotatable member passes through a sidewall
of the stock or is oriented in an aperture or cavity in the sidewall of the stock under either parties’
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1. The entire rotatable member of the R500/R500E does not overlap with a
structural portion of the stock or the stock in a drawn orientation.
Claims 1 and 11 of the ’893 Patent and Claim 1 of the ’056 Patent each demand that the
[first rotatable member / rotatable member] overlap with the [structural portion of the stock /
stock]. SOF ¶¶ 106–07, 109. At the same time, Claims 1 and 11 of the ’893 Patent and Claim 5 of
the ’056 separately demand that only “a portion of” the alleged rotatable member pass through a
sidewall of the stock. Id. Thus, the claims expressly distinguish between “the rotatable member”
or “first rotatable member” overlapping with the structural portion of the stock or the stock, and
only “a portion of” the rotatable member “passes through” a sidewall of the stock. In other words,
the claim drafter drew a distinction between an entire component and a portion of that component.
Thus, because the patentee chose to distinguish between “the first rotatable member” and “a
portion of” the rotatable member, the express language of the claims requires that the entire
rotatable member overlap with the structural portion of the stock. See Convolve, Inc. v. Compaq
Computer Corp., 812 F.3d 1313, 1318 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (affirming district court’s construction of
“user interface” as “the site at which a user actually selects an operating mode” because “[t]he
claim term is ‘user interface,’ not just ‘interface.’ The word ‘user’ therefore must distinguish
between different kinds of interfaces”); Pause Tech., LLC v. TiVo, Inc., 419 F.3d 1326, 1334 (Fed.
Cir. 2005 (“In construing claims, however, we must give each claim term the respect that it is
due”).
There is no genuine dispute that the entirety of the alleged rotatable member of the
R500/R500E does not overlap with the structural portion of the stock or the stock. SOF ¶¶ 210–
11. The only evidence MCP has provided does not show an entire rotatable member overlapping
with the structural portion of the stock or stock. Id. But that is not what each of these claims
requires—they plainly require “the first rotatable member” or “the rotatable member” overlap with
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the structural portion of the stock or stock, e.g., the whole rotatable member must overlap with the
stock. SOF ¶¶ 106–07, 109. The Federal Circuit has “repeatedly and consistently recognized that
courts may not redraft claims, whether to make them operable or to sustain their validity.” Chef
Am., Inc. v. Lamb-Weston, Inc., 358 F.3d 1371, 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2004). Accordingly, Ravin is
entitled to summary judgment of non-infringement on Claims 1 and 11 of the ’893 Patent and
2. The alleged rotatable member does not pass through a sidewall of the stock
under either parties’ construction for stock.
Claims 1 and 11 of the ’893 Patent and Claims 5, 6, 14, or 15 of the ’056 Patent each
require a portion of alleged rotatable member either pass through or be oriented in a sidewall of
the stock. Under either parties’ construction for stock, there is no genuine dispute that no portion
of the alleged rotatable member of the R500/R500E passes through or is oriented in a sidewall of
Ravin has proposed that the claimed stock be construed as “the central component of the
crossbow to which everything else attaches.” By contrast, MCP has proposed that the claimed
the R500/R500E do not infringe the “passes through” limitations of the ’893 or ’056 Patents.
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SOF ¶ 212. As shown above, even accepting MCP’s allegations as true, no portion of the alleged
rotatable member passes through a sidewall of the stock. Instead, at best, a portion of the rotatable
member passes over the stock (identified with the yellow arrow below) and under/through the
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Id.
The finger guard is the component of the R500 with rounded triangular cutouts that attaches
to the stock and prevents a user’s fingers from entering into the path of the bolt as shown in the
picture below:
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SOF ¶ 213 (cropped and annotated), ¶ 216. The fingerguard is not the stock and it is not a structural
portion of the stock. Those are the parts depicted in the red box in the picture immediately above.
The cam never passes through this portion of the stock, as can be seen from MCP’s own pictures.
‘’220 Patent for at least three reasons. First, properly construed the claims of the ’220 Patent are
limited to vertical compound archery bows. Because the R500/R500E is not a vertical compound
archery bow, it does not infringe. Second, the R500/R500E do not include the claimed “cable guard
attached to said riser.” Finally, the alleged reference plane of the R500/R500E does not
“continually” or “initially” move towards the predefined location as the bow is drawn, as required
Separately, if the Court determines the claims of the ’220 Patent are not limited to vertical
compound archery bows, then Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of invalidity because the
’220 lacks written description support for its claimed invention embodied in a crossbow.
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As explained above, the asserted claims of the ’220 Patent properly construed are limited
to vertical compound archery bows. See supra Section II.G.1. The R500/R500E are not vertical
archery bows, they are crossbows. SOF ¶ 172. Accordingly, there is no genuine dispute that the
R500/R500E cannot read on the independent claims, and Ravin is entitled to summary judgment
Independent Claims 1 and 10 of the ’220 Patent both require “a cable guard attached to
said riser[.]” SOF ¶¶ 141–42. First, as explained above the claimed “riser” should be construed as
including at least the “handle.” See supra Section II.G.2. The R500/R500E do not include a handle
on their risers. SOF ¶¶ 213–14. The handle for the R500/R500E is located on the rear of the
crossbow behind the trigger. Id. Thus, summary judgment of non-infringement is warranted.
But even if the Court adopts MCP’s construction for the claimed “riser,” Ravin is still
entitled to summary judgment of non-infringement. MCP’s proposed construction for the claimed
“riser” is “a structural component that supports a bow or limb.” MCP has accused the component
identified as reference number 2 below as the claimed riser, and has accused the component
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SOF ¶ 217. The spatial relationship between these two components is more clearly shown below,
where the riser is highlighted in yellow, the R500’s separate finger guard/picatinny rail is
SOF ¶¶ 214–15.
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As clearly shown above, the alleged cable guard is not attached to the riser. First, there is
no dispute the alleged cable guard is located within the finger guard. SOF ¶ 216. Thus, to the extent
the cable guard is “attached” to anything, it is the finger guard, not the riser. Second, there is no
dispute the alleged cable guard is even “attached” at all—it may freely move forward and
Claims 1 and 10 of the ’220 Patent require, respectively, that the claimed “reference plane”
either “continually traverses toward the predetermined location as the bow is drawn” or “moves
toward the predetermined location as the bow is initially drawn[.]” SOF ¶¶ 141–42. There is no
genuine dispute of material fact that the alleged R500/R500E fail to satisfy this limitation.
The plain language of these limitations mean the reference plane must either continually
traverse towards the predetermined location (e.g., never move away from the predetermined
location) or move toward the predetermined location when the drawing process first begins. Id.
Yet MCP has not come forth with any evidence regarding the movement of what MCP has mapped
as the reference plane in the R500/R500E. Instead, MCP’s only evidence, viewed most favorably
to MCP, is that the mapped reference plane ends closer to the predetermined location in the drawn
condition (bottom photo) than it was in the brace condition (top photo):
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SOF ¶ 219.
But the claims require more than the reference plane simply being closer to the
predetermined location when in a drawn orientation. Even construing all facts and drawing all
reasonable inferences from those facts in favor of MCP, there is simply insufficient evidence as a
matter of law to establish the R500/R500E infringe the “continually traverse[] toward the
predetermined location as the bow is drawn” or “move[] toward the predetermined location as the
bow is initially drawn” limitations of Claims 1 and 10 of the ’220 Patent. SOF ¶¶ 141–42. Thus,
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Bolstering that conclusion, Ravin has come forth with uncontroverted affirmative evidence
establishing that the alleged reference plane of the R500 does not “continually traverse” or
“initially move” towards the predetermined location during the drawing process. First, Ravin’s
expert, Dr. Duffner, explained how, mathematically, the alleged reference plane of the
R500/R500E will initially move away from the predetermined location at the beginning of the
drawing process. SOF ¶¶ 220–21. Specifically, Dr. Duffner explained that because “the resting
state of the R500/R500E’s limbs in the undrawn or brace condition” fall outside of a reference line
drawn through the fixed end of the limb and its pivot point, as shown below, “the rotatable axes
have not yet reached the apex point of the arc-shaped travel path” they take during the drawing
process:
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Dr. Duffner then confirmed this mathematical reality with video evidence showing that the
travel path of the alleged reference plane initially moves away from the predetermined location.
Still shots from that video just before the draw process begin and just after the draw process begins
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SOF ¶¶ 222–23. In the first still shot, the reference plane (blue line) is just below the 17th red
reference line (counted down from the top of the reference sheet), while in the second still shot,
the reference plane falls just above the 17th red reference line. Id. This unequivocally confirms the
reference plane initially moves rearward, away from the predetermined location.
Accordingly, because MCP has no evidence showing the reference plane “continually
moves” or “initially moves” toward the predetermined location as the crossbow is drawn, and
because Ravin’s unrebutted evidence conclusively shows the reference plane initially moves away
from the predetermined location as the R500 is drawn, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of
4. If the claims of the ’220 Patent are construed to encompass crossbows, Ravin
is entitled to summary judgment of invalidity because the ‘’220 Patent lacks
written description support for its claimed invention embodied in a crossbow
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To meet the written description standard of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 1, “[t]he disclosure must
‘reasonably convey[] to those skilled in the art that the inventor had possession of the claimed
subject matter as of the filing date,” where “[p]osession means ‘possession as shown in the
disclosure’ and ‘requires an objective inquiry into the four corners of the specification from the
perspective of a person of ordinary skill in the art.’” Crown Packaging Tech., Inc. v. Ball Metal
Beverage Container Corp., 635 F.3d 1373, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (quoting Ariad Pharms., Inc. v.
Eli Lilly & Co., 598 F.3d 1336, 1351 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (en banc). If the Court determines the claims
of the ’220 Patent are broad enough to include crossbow embodiments, the ’220 Patent fails to
meet this standard, and the Court should invalidate the claims of the ’220 Patent for lack of written
description support.
The intrinsic evidence leaves no genuine dispute that the ’220 Patent does not have written
description support for a crossbow embodiment of its claimed invention. First, the title of the ’220
Patent is “Archery Bow.” SOF ¶ 140. The figures exclusively depict a vertical compound archery
bow, which the description of the figures again describes as showing “an archery bow.”
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SOF ¶ 155. Then, the Detailed Description exclusively and repeatedly describes the alleged
invention as an “archery bow” or just “a bow” when discussing the various embodiments of the
vertical bow shown in the Figures. SOF ¶¶ 143–44. In sum, nothing in the ’220 Patent supports
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Notably, the substance of the ’220 Patent’s disclosure regarding the “archery bow” only
makes sense for vertical archery bows. First, as explained above, the term “riser” as used in the
‘’220 Patent refers to, or at least includes, the handle of the bow. See supra II.G.2. There is no
dispute that a crossbows handle is not called or part of the crossbow’s “riser.” SOF ¶¶ 14; 213–14.
It is much father back where the user’s hand will be far away from the front of the bow and the
path of travel of the arrow. Second, discussing a hypothetical reference line drawn between the
axles of the first and second rotatable members in compound archery bows, the ’220 Patent
explains that “line would typically be oriented vertically.” SOF ¶ 145. But in a crossbow, there is
no dispute that hypothetical line would be oriented horizontally, not vertically. Thus, because the
intrinsic evidence exclusively describes a vertical compound archery bow, there is no genuine
dispute that the inventor only invented and possessed a vertical compound archery bow. See Rivera
v. ITC, 857 F.3d 1315, 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (affirming determination of no written description
for a broad interpretation of the claims where the patent “consistently describe[d] an invention”
that was narrower than the broad interpretation advanced). Accordingly, if the claims of the ’220
Patent are construed broadly enough to encompass crossbows, Ravin is entitled to summary
judgment that the claims are invalid for lacking written description.
Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of non-infringement of the D’195 Patent for at least
two reasons. First, the claimed design of the D’195 Patent is limited to designs for a “crossbow
rail.” Because there is no dispute, or even allegation, that the R500/R500E employs the claimed
design on its crossbow rail, as well-understood in the crossbow field, the R500/R500E cannot
infringe. Second, even if the claim were not limited to designs for a crossbow rail, because the two
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accused designs embodied in the R500/R500E are plainly dissimilar to the claimed design of the
1. Ravin does not infringe the D’195 Patent because the R500/R500E do not
utilize the claimed design on its “crossbow rail”
It is well established that “[a] design is limited to the article of manufacture identified in
the claim; it does not broadly cover a design in the abstract.” In re SurgiSil, L.L.P., 14 F.4th 1380,
1381 (Fed. Cir. 2021; Curver Luxembourg, SARL v. Home Expressions Inc., 938 F.3d 1334, 1340–
43 (Fed. Cir. 2020. Here, the claimed design of the D’195 Patent is limited to crossbow rails. SOF
¶¶ 157–58. Because there is no genuine dispute that the R500/R500E do not utilize the claimed
design of the D’195 Patent on its crossbow rail, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of non-
The “rail” of a crossbow is well-understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art to refer
to a specific component. Namely, the rail is understood to be the component of the crossbow that
defines the flight groove of the arrow track. SOF ¶¶ 159–60. The D’195 Patent and related patents’
use of “crossbow rail” is consistent with this well-understood meaning in the art. First, Figure 1 of
the D’195 Patent shows the claimed design applied to a “crossbow rail.”
SOF ¶ 161. Moreover, U.S. Design Patent D868,194—which is also directed to a design for a
“crossbow rail” and was the basis for a non-statutory double patenting rejection during the
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examination of the D’195 Patent because it disclosed a design that was not “patentably distinct
from” the D’195 Patent’s design—shows the rail from another angle:
SOF ¶¶ 162–64.
Further, the commercial embodiment for the D’195 Patent and D’195 Patents, the Mission SUB-
1 Family of crossbows also shows the design applied to what is well-understood to the be crossbow
SOF ¶¶ 165–67.
In sum, the intrinsic and extrinsic evidence all confirm the claimed design of the D’195
Patent is limited to a design for the “crossbow rail,” as well-understood to persons of ordinary skill
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in the crossbow field. There is no dispute the R500/R500E do not utilize the claimed design of the
D’195 Patent on its crossbow rail. In the annotated picture below, the highlighted box in yellow
(immediately below) and in red (in the 2nd picture) is the crossbow rail that includes the flight
SOF ¶¶ 224–25. This component of the R500 has not been accused of infringement by MCP. MCP
only accuses the design on the fingerguard and scope mount, which are located above the crossbow
rail. Thus, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of non-infringement of the D’195 Patent.
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because the allegedly infringing designs on the R500/R500E are “sufficiently distinct” and
“plainly dissimilar” to the claimed design of the D’195 Patent. See Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. v.
Covidien, Inc., 796 F.3d 1312, 1335 (Fed. Cir. 2015 (“Where the claimed and accused designs are
‘sufficiently distinct’ and ‘plainly dissimilar,’ the patentee fails to meet its burden of proving
infringement as a matter of law”); see also Super-Sparkly Stuff, LLC v. Skyline USA, Inc., 836 F.
App’x 895, 898 (Fed. Cir. 2020). Even if that were not the case, in light of the existing prior art,
because an ordinary observer would view the differences between the allegedly infringing designs
and the claimed design of the D’195 Patent as significant, summary judgment of non-infringement
is warranted.
First, the allegedly infringing designs are plainly dissimilar to the claimed design of the
D’195 Patent. Where, as here, the claimed design is “a very simple design,” even minor departures
from the claimed design are sufficient to conclude there has been “a significant departure from the
claimed design,” warranting summary judgment of non-infringement. See Super-Sparkly, 836 F.3d
at 898. In Super-Sparkly, the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s grant of summary
judgment of non-infringement based on plain dissimilarity between the claimed and accused
designs. Id. at 898–99. More specifically, the claimed design was to “a very simple design, in
which rhinestones are applied to two surfaces of a canister: the vertical cylinder and the bottom.”
Id. at 898. The accused canister removed rhinestones from the bottom surface of its canister. Id.
The Federal Circuit found that change to be a “significant departure from the claimed design” and
“plainly dissimilar [] because the accused design lacks rhinestones on one of the two surfaces
decorated in the claimed design” such that “an ordinary observer would not find the two designs
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Given the very simple design claimed in the D’195 Patent, summary judgment of non-
infringement is likewise warranted for both of the accused designs in the R500/R500E. First, the
claimed design of the D’195 Patent, consisting of 4 identical rounded-triangular cutouts arranged
SOF ¶ 161. Second, the differences between the claimed design and those accused of infringing
are more significant than those found in Super-Sparkly. First, below is the design on the R500’s
finger guard:
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SOF ¶¶ 230–31.
apparent:
• Finger guard – (1) applied to a different component of the crossbow than the claimed
design; (2) cutouts applied to a sloped surface rather than flat face; (3) a more rounded
cutout shape; and (4) cutouts do not extend uniformly through the width of the alleged
“rail,” instead has hollow, open cavity between each sides’ cutout.
• Picatinny rail – (1) applied to a different component of the crossbow than the claimed
design; (2) the cutouts are not uniformly sized and also are a different shape that is not as
flat on the top/bottom rounded corners as the claimed design; (3) the height of the alleged
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rail the design is applied to gets smaller (e.g., pinches inward) as you move from left to
right in the depictions above; and (4) the design is applied to a surface that bevels outward
at the top and bottom rather than being applied to a flat surface.
SOF ¶¶ 233–36. Accordingly, given the “plain dissimilarities” between the accused designs and
claimed design, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of non-infringement of the D’195 Patent.
Even if the accused designs were not “plainly dissimilar” from the claimed design, a
comparison with the prior art confirms the accused designs do not infringe. Again, Super-Sparkly
is instructive. There, only one similar prior art design was discussed. Super-Sparkly, 836 F. App’x
at 898. That prior art design was also to a rhinestone canister but did not have rhinestones “on the
top (near the spray nozzle) or bottom of the cylinder.” Id. “Per Egyptian Goddess, then, the [prior
art] design highlights that the key difference between the ’172 Patent and the accused design is
that the bottom of the cylinder is decorated with rhinestones. As such, the attention of a
hypothetical observer conversant with bedazzled pepper spray canisters would be drawn to the
presence or absence of rhinestones on the bottom of the cylinder.” Id. Thus, the Court concluded
a “hypothetical ordinary observer would . . . find significant the lack of rhinestones on the bottom
of the accused design and would not confuse the design with the ’172 patent.” Id. at 898–99.
Here, in contrast with Super-Sparkly, there are ample prior art designs that, collectively,
show that the key differences between the designs were all known in the prior art. In fact, the prior
art shows that designs applying cutouts in a linear configuration to both flat and curved
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SOF ¶¶ 287–303. Given how close the claimed design is to the above prior art designs, “small
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differences between the accused design and the claimed design are likely to be important to the
eye of the hypothetical ordinary observer,” so it is appropriate to focus on those features of the
claimed design that depart from the prior art designs. Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., 543
Here, what distinguishes the claimed design from the prior art designs is its specific linear
arrangement of uniform cutouts, each having that unique shape, extending through a flat, solid
component. Indeed, the differences between the accused designs and the claimed design are all
present in the prior art. In fact, the design of the picatinny rail is nearly identical to the prior art
(Accused design)
While this evidence is sufficient even without expert testimony for the Court to grant
Ravin’s motion, as was the case in Super-Sparkly, Ravin’s non-infringement is confirmed by more
than ten pages of substantive, supporting expert opinion. Specifically, Ravin’s expert provided a
detailed analysis of the claimed design in view of the prior art concluding with his opinion as to
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what elements of that design were already disclosed in the prior art (SOF ¶¶ 232, 235, 304–05), he
then opined on how the existence of those elements in the prior art would narrow how an ordinary
observer looked at the claimed design (SOF ¶ 305), then walked through the similarities and
differences between the claimed design and the two accused designs (SOF ¶¶ 232, 235, 304–05),
and only then concluded that, considering both the similarities and differences in view of the prior
art, an ordinary observer would not believe the two designs were substantially the same or deceive
them into purchasing the accused designs believing them to be the claimed design. SOF ¶¶ 234,
238.
MCP, in stark contrast, has not presented any meaningful evidence sufficient to create a
genuine dispute that an ordinary observer would not confuse the claimed and accused designs.
MCP’s sole evidence is the conclusory opinion of its expert, Dr. Paulus, who essentially offered a
single paragraph of analysis for each of the accused designs. SOF ¶¶ 240–41. Not only did Dr.
Paulus fail to even consider the prior art (SOF ¶ 306), his analysis amounts to him just repeating
his belief that the designs are “virtually identical” while ignoring the differences “without
justification.” SOF ¶¶ 240–41. This is perhaps best exemplified in his opinions on the R500’s
picatinny rail design, where Dr. Paulus refused to even acknowledge the differences existed at all.
SOF ¶ 241 (“None of those differences, to the extent they exist (or can be understood) change the
fact that the designs are substantially similar to an ordinary observer.”). Such conclusory
Further, Dr. Paulus’ unsupported analysis is also contradicted by his own later opinions
provided in his rebuttal report. There, Dr. Paulus had no trouble at all identifying alleged
differences between the prior art designs and the claimed design. SOF ¶ 299. Perhaps the best
example of Dr. Paulus inconsistent analysis comes in discussing Ravin’s TacHeads Bi-Pod—
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which, as just discussed is almost an exact copy of the accused picatinny rail design that Dr. Paulus
claimed had no differences from the claimed design—where he has no difficulty observing that
“[a]n ordinary observer would also note that the triangular shapes in the TacHeads are not a
repeating design like claim 1 of the D’195 patent.” Id. But that is one of the plain dissimilarities
Because Dr. Paulus made no effort to meaningfully discuss the clear dissimilarities
between the claimed and accused designs or how an ordinary observer would weigh those
dissimilarities in view of the prior art, and then further contradicted those conclusory opinions, the
Court can and should disregard his opinions. See Dominion Energy, Inc. v. Alstom Grid LLC, 725
F. Appx. 980, 986–87 (Fed. Cir. 2018 (reversing denial of JMOL of non-infringement where the
plaintiff’s expert testimony was conclusory, unsupported, and in conflict with his own opinions);
OddzOn Prods., Inc. v. Just Toys, Inc., 122 F.3d 1396, 1405 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (affirming district
court’s grant of summary judgment of non-infringement and determination that the “expert’s
opinion was wholly conclusory and devoid of any analysis regarding whether the ornamental
features created the overall similarity”). Accordingly, Ravin is entitled to summary judgment of
IV. CONCLUSION
For all these reasons, Ravin respectfully requests the Court grant its motion for summary
judgment.
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J. Derek Vandenburgh
WI Bar No. 0224145
Email: dvandeburgh@[Link]
Carlson, Caspers, Vendenburgh &
Lindquist, PA
225 South Sixth Street, Suite 4200
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Telephone: (612) 436-9618
Sarah A. Zylstra
State Bar No. 1033159
BOARDMAN & CLARK LLP
1 South Pinckney Street, Suite 410
P.O. Box 927
Madison, WI 53701-0927
Telephone: (608) 257-9521
Facsimile: (608) 283-1709
szylstra@[Link]
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that on April 17, 2023, a true and correct copy of the above and foregoing
document has been filed via ECF which will send notice to all counsel of record.
78