throbber
Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 1 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`Nos. 18-1725, -1784
`
`IN THE
`United States Court of Appeals
`FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT
`
`GREEN MOUNTAIN GLASS, LLC, CULCHROME, LLC,
`Plaintiffs - Cross-Appellants,
`
`V.
`SAINT-GOBAIN CONTAINERS, INC., DBA VERALLIA NORTH AMERICA,
`Defendant - Appellant.
`
`On Appeal from the United States District Court
`for the District of Delaware, in No. 1:14-cv-392-GMS
`
`CORRECTED RESPONSE AND OPENING CROSS-APPEAL
`BRIEF FOR PLAINTIFFS - CROSS-APPELLANTS
`GREEN MOUNTAIN GLASS, LLC AND CULCHROME, LLC
`
`Justin A. Nelson
`SUSMAN GODFREY, LLP
`1000 Louisiana, Suite 5100
`Houston, TX 77002
`(713) 651-9366 (telephone)
`(713) 654-6666 (facsimile)
`jnelson@susmangodfrey.com
`
`Jeffrey A. Lamken
` Counsel of Record
`Benjamin T. Sirolly
`MOLOLAMKEN LLP
`The Watergate, Suite 660
`600 New Hampshire Ave., N.W.
`Washington, D.C. 20037
`(202) 556-2000 (telephone)
`(202) 556-2001 (facsimile)
`jlamken@mololamken.com
`Counsel for Plaintiffs - Cross-Appellants
`Green Mountain Glass, LLC and CulChrome, LLC
`
`(Additional Counsel Listed on Inside Cover)
`
`O-I Glass, Inc.
`Exhibit 1071
`O-I Glass v. Culchrome
`IPR2020-01068
`
`Ex. 1071-001
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 2 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`(
`
`Matthew R. Berry
`John E. Schiltz
`SUSMAN GODFREY LLP
`1201 Third Ave., Suite 3800
`Seattle, WA 98101
`(206) 516-3880 (telephone)
`(206) 516-3883 (facsimile)
`
`Justin B. Weiner
`MOLOLAMKEN LLP
`300 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 5350
`Chicago, IL 60654
`(312) 450-6700 (telephone)
`(312) 450-6701 (facsimile)
`
`Counsel for Plaintiffs - Cross-Appellants
`Green Mountain Glass, LLC and CulChrome, LLC
`
`Ex. 1071-002
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 3 Filed: 11/07/2018
`FORM 9. Certificate of Interest
`
` Form 9
` Rev. 10/17
`UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT
`Green Mountain Glass, LLC, Culchrome, LLC
`
`
`
`
`
` v.
`
`18-1725, -1784
`Case No.
`
`
`CERTIFICATE OF INTEREST
`
`Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc. dba Verallia North America
`
`Counsel for the:
`(cid:133) (petitioner) (cid:133) (appellant) (cid:133) (respondent) (cid:133) (appellee) (cid:133) (amicus) (cid:133) (name of party)
`
`Green Mountain Glass, LLC and CulChrome, LLC
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`certifies the following (use “None” if applicable; use extra sheets if necessary):
`
`1. Full Name of Party
`Represented by me
`
`
`Green Mountain Glass, LLC
`CulChrome, LLC
`
`2. Name of Real Party in interest
`(Please only include any real party
`in interest NOT identified in
`Question 3) represented by me is:
`None
`None
`
`3. Parent corporations and
`publicly held companies
`that own 10% or more of
`stock in the party
`
`G R Technology, Inc. (privately held; no publicly held companies)
`
`GRT Holdings, Inc. (privately held; no publicly held companies)
`
`4. The names of all law firms and the partners or associates that appeared for the party or amicus now
`represented by me in the trial court or agency or are expected to appear in this court (and who have not
`or will not enter an appearance in this case) are:
`Please see attached.
`
`Ex. 1071-003
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 4 Filed: 11/07/2018
`FORM 9. Certificate of Interest
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
` Form 9
` Rev. 10/17
`
`
`5. The title and number of any case known to counsel to be pending in this or any other court or agency
`that will directly affect or be directly affected by this court’s decision in the pending appeal. See Fed. Cir.
`R. 47. 4(a)(5) and 47.5(b). (The parties should attach continuation pages as necessary).
`
`None.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`10/12/2018
`
`
`
`
` Date
`
`
`
`
`Please Note: All questions must be answered
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`All counsel by ECF
`cc:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`/s/ Jeffrey A. Lamken
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Signature of counsel
`Jeffrey A. Lamken
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Printed name of counsel
`
`
`
`
`
`Reset Fields
`
`Ex. 1071-004
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 5 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`CERTIFICATE OF INTEREST
`Plaintiffs - Cross-Appellants Green Mountain Glass, LLC and CulChrome,
`
`LLC state that the following partners or associates have appeared on their behalf
`
`before the trial court or are expected to appear in this court:
`
`From Susman Godfrey, LLP: Justin A. Nelson, Matthew R. Berry, John E.
`
`Schiltz, Steven M. Shepard, Zachary Savage, and Max Tribble
`
`From Farnan LLP: Brian E. Farnan and Michael J. Farnan
`
`From Bramson & Pressman: Robert S. Bramson
`
`From MoloLamken LLP: Jeffrey A. Lamken, Justin B. Weiner, and
`
`Benjamin T. Sirolly
`
`
`
`Ex. 1071-005
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 6 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES............................................................................... 1
`INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1
`STATEMENT OF THE CASE .................................................................................. 3
`I. Technological Background ................................................................................ 3
`A. The Limited Use of Cullet Before the ’737 Patent ..................................... 3
`B. Mosch Overcomes the Barriers To Using Mixed-Color Cullet and
`Obtains a Patent .......................................................................................... 5
`C. Ardagh Implements the Claimed Process Without a License .................... 8
`II. Proceedings Below ........................................................................................... 11
`A. Claim Construction ................................................................................... 12
`B. Destruction of Evidence and False Testimony ......................................... 13
`C. The Trial ................................................................................................... 14
`1.
`Infringement ...................................................................................... 14
`2.
`Invalidity ........................................................................................... 16
`3. Damages ............................................................................................ 19
`D. The Jury Finds the Patent Valid and Willfully Infringed, Awarding
`an Effective $12-Per-Ton Royalty ........................................................... 20
`E. Post-Trial Motions .................................................................................... 20
`1. Enhanced Damages ........................................................................... 20
`2.
`JMOL ................................................................................................ 21
`SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT ............................................................................... 21
`ARGUMENT ........................................................................................................... 23
`
`Ex. 1071-006
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 7 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`I. The District Court Correctly Construed “Unsorted Mixed
`Color Cullet” .................................................................................................... 23
`A. The Court’s Construction Is Compelled by the Claims and
`Specification—and Ardagh’s Concession ................................................ 25
`B. Ardagh’s Construction Defies the Patent, Its Embodiments, and
`Prosecution History Alike ........................................................................ 31
`II. The Jury’s Infringement Verdict Should Be Affirmed .................................... 37
`A. The ’737 Patent Recites Selectively Decolorizing a Color of the
`Cullet, Not Selectively Decolorizing Cullet ............................................. 37
`B. The Evidence of Infringement Was Overwhelming ................................ 40
`III. The Jury Was Not Compelled To Find That Ardagh Proved Invalidity
`by Clear-and-Convincing Evidence ................................................................. 46
`A. The Jury Could Properly Find Ardagh Failed To Clearly and
`Convincingly Prove Anticipation Through Prior Public Use .................. 46
`1. Ardagh’s Contention That It Practiced the Invention Before
`the Priority Date ................................................................................ 47
`2. Ardagh’s Claimed Public Use .......................................................... 52
`B. The Jury’s Non-Obviousness Finding Should Be Affirmed .................... 54
`IV. The Jury’s Damages Award Is Supported by Substantial Evidence ................ 59
`A. Ardagh’s Apportionment Argument Does Not Deprive the Royalty
`Base of Evidentiary Support ..................................................................... 59
`B. The Royalty Rate Has Robust Evidentiary Support ................................. 62
`CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................ 65
`CROSS-APPEAL ..................................................................................................... 66
`JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT ........................................................................ 66
`INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 66
`
`
`
`ii
`
`Ex. 1071-007
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 8 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE ............................................................................... 67
`SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT ............................................................................... 67
`ARGUMENT ........................................................................................................... 68
`I. The District Court’s Decision Departs from Precedent ................................... 68
`A. The Jury and District Court Both Found Ardagh’s Conduct
`“Especially Worthy of Punishment” ........................................................ 68
`B. The District Court Failed To Exercise Discretion Under Read ............... 70
`II. The District Court’s Read Analysis Misconstrues the Factors and
`Commits Clear Error ........................................................................................ 72
`A. The District Court Misconstrued the Relevance of—and Failed
`Even To Address Most—Litigation Misconduct ..................................... 72
`B. Duration of Misconduct and Remedial Measures .................................... 75
`C. The District Court Inverted Motivation To Harm .................................... 76
`D. “Closeness” Favors Enhancement ............................................................ 76
`CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................ 77
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`iii
`
`Ex. 1071-008
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 9 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
`Page(s)
`
`CASES
`3M Innovative Props. Co. v. Avery Dennison Corp.,
`350 F.3d 1365 (Fed. Cir. 2003) .......................................................................... 33
`Alexsam, Inc. v. IDT Corp.,
`715 F.3d 1336 (Fed. Cir. 2013) .......................................................................... 58
`Apotex USA, Inc. v. Merck & Co.,
`254 F.3d 1031 (Fed. Cir. 2001) .......................................................................... 55
`
`Apple Inc. v. Samsung Elecs. Co.,
`839 F.3d 1034 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (en banc) ...................................................passim
`Application of Garnero,
`412 F.2d 276 (C.C.P.A. 1969). ........................................................................... 33
`Asetek Danmark A/S v. CMI USA Inc.,
`852 F.3d 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2017) .......................................................................... 38
`Atlas IP, LLC v. Medtronic, Inc.,
`809 F.3d 599 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ............................................................................ 33
`Bid for Position, LLC v. AOL LLC,
`601 F.3d 1311 (Fed. Cir. 2010) .......................................................................... 26
`Carella v. Starlight Archery & Pro Line Co.,
`804 F.2d 135 (Fed. Cir. 1986) ...................................................................... 49, 52
`In re Caveney,
`761 F.2d 671 (Fed. Cir. 1985) ............................................................................ 54
`Core Wireless Licensing S.A.R.L. v. LG Elecs., Inc.,
`880 F.3d 1356 (Fed. Cir. 2018) .......................................................................... 37
`Dyer v. MacDougall,
`201 F.2d 265 (2d Cir. 1952) ......................................................................... 51, 52
`Ericsson, Inc. v. D-Link Sys., Inc.,
`773 F.3d 1201 (Fed. Cir. 2014) .......................................................................... 59
`
`
`
`iv
`
`Ex. 1071-009
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 10 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`Gov’t of Virgin Islands v. Archibald,
`987 F.2d 180 (3d. Cir. 1993) .............................................................................. 40
`Halo Elecs., Inc. v. Pulse Elecs., Inc.,
`136 S. Ct. 1923 (2016) .................................................................................passim
`Hanson v. Alpine Valley Ski Area, Inc.,
`718 F.2d 1075 (Fed. Cir. 1983) .......................................................................... 63
`Highmark Inc. v. Allcare Health Mgmt. Sys., Inc.,
`134 S. Ct. 1744 (2014) ........................................................................................ 68
`Hill-Rom Co. v. Kinetic Concepts, Inc.,
`209 F.3d 1337 (Fed. Cir. 2000) .......................................................................... 28
`Hill-Rom Servs., Inc. v. Stryker Corp.,
`755 F.3d 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2014) .......................................................................... 31
`i4i Ltd. P’ship v. Microsoft Corp.,
`598 F.3d 831 (Fed. Cir. 2010) ............................................................................ 54
`Juicy Whip, Inc. v. Orange Bang, Inc.,
`292 F.3d 728 (Fed. Cir. 2002) ............................................................................ 49
`Key Pharms. v. Hercon Labs. Corp.,
`161 F.3d 709 (Fed. Cir. 1998) ...................................................................... 26, 60
`Lucent Techs., Inc. v. Gateway, Inc.,
`580 F.3d 1301 (Fed. Cir. 2009) .......................................................................... 59
`MasterMine Software, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp.,
`874 F.3d 1307 (Fed. Cir. 2017) .......................................................................... 24
`Metabolite Labs., Inc. v. Lab. Corp. of Am. Holdings,
`370 F.3d 1354 (Fed. Cir. 2004) .......................................................................... 75
`Minn. Mining & Mfg. Co. v. Chemque, Inc.,
`303 F.3d 1294 (Fed. Cir. 2002) .......................................................................... 46
`Monsanto Co. v. McFarling,
`488 F.3d 973 (Fed. Cir. 2007) ............................................................................ 65
`
`
`
`v
`
`Ex. 1071-010
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 11 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`In re Nintendo Co.,
`544 F. App’x 934 (Fed. Cir. 2013) ............................................................... 68, 74
`NLRB v. Walton Mfg. Co.,
`369 U.S. 404 (1962) ............................................................................................ 51
`Nobelpharma AB v. Implant Innovations, Inc.,
`141 F.3d 1059 (Fed. Cir. 1998) .......................................................................... 47
`NTP, Inc. v. Research in Motion, Ltd.,
`418 F.3d 1282 (Fed. Cir. 2005) .......................................................................... 56
`OddzOn Prods., Inc. v. Just Toys, Inc.,
`122 F.3d 1396 (Fed. Cir. 1997) .......................................................................... 55
`Pac. Furniture Mfg. Co. v. Preview Furniture Corp.,
`800 F.2d 1111 (Fed. Cir. 1986) .......................................................................... 76
`Paragon Sols., LLC v. Timex Corp.,
`566 F.3d 1075 (Fed. Cir. 2009) .......................................................................... 34
`Phillips v. AWH Corp.,
`415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc) .................................................... 26, 33
`Power Integrations, Inc. v. Fairchild Semiconductor Int’l, Inc.,
`894 F.3d 1258 (Fed. Cir. 2018) .............................................................. 38, 39, 40
`Power Mosfet Techs., L.L.C. v. Siemens AG,
`378 F.3d 1396 (Fed. Cir. 2004) .................................................................... 26, 31
`Presidio Components, Inc. v. Am. Tech. Ceramics Corp.,
`875 F.3d 1369 (Fed. Cir. 2017) .......................................................................... 71
`Prism Techs. LLC v. Sprint Spectrum L.P.,
`849 F.3d 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2017) .......................................................................... 63
`Read Corp. v. Portec, Inc., 970 F.2d 816 (Fed. Cir. 1992) ..............................passim
`Sage Prods., Inc. v. Devon Indus., Inc.,
`126 F.3d 1420 (Fed. Cir. 1997) .......................................................................... 57
`Semper v. Santos,
`845 F.2d 1233 (3d Cir. 1988) ............................................................................. 59
`
`
`
`vi
`
`Ex. 1071-011
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 12 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`Seymour v. McCormick,
`57 U.S. (16 How.) 480 (1854) ............................................................................ 66
`SimpleAir, Inc. v. Sony Ericsson Mobile Commc’ns AB,
`820 F.3d 419 (Fed. Cir. 2016) ............................................................................ 31
`SkinMedica, Inc. v. Histogen Inc.,
`727 F.3d 1187 (Fed. Cir. 2013) .......................................................................... 25
`SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Apotex Corp.,
`439 F.3d 1312 (Fed. Cir. 2006) .......................................................................... 41
`Sprint Commc’ns L.P. v. Time Warner Cable, Inc.,
`No. 11-2686, 2017 WL 978107 (D. Kan. Mar. 14, 2017) .................................. 76
`Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co. v. Emcure Pharms. Ltd.,
`887 F.3d 1153 (Fed. Cir. 2018) .......................................................................... 32
`Top Tobacco, L.P. v. N. Atl. Operating Co.,
`509 F.3d 380 (7th Cir. 2007) .............................................................................. 71
`
`Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling, Inc. v. Maersk Drilling
`USA, Inc., 699 F.3d 1340 (Fed. Cir. 2012) ......................................................... 58
`Unitherm Food Sys., Inc. v. Swift-Eckrich, Inc.,
`546 U.S. 394 (2006) ............................................................................................ 54
`Vitronics Corp. v. Conceptronic, Inc.,
`90 F.3d 1576 (Fed. Cir. 1996) ............................................................................ 34
`Vivid Techs., Inc. v. Am. Sci. & Eng’g, Inc.,
`200 F.3d 795 (Fed. Cir. 1999) ............................................................................ 39
`W.L. Gore & Assocs., Inc. v. Garlock, Inc.,
`721 F.2d 1540 (Fed. Cir. 1983) .......................................................................... 54
`Whitserve, LLC v. Comput. Packages, Inc.,
`694 F.3d 10 (Fed. Cir. 2012) .............................................................................. 60
`Woodland Tr. v. Flowertree Nursery, Inc.,
`148 F.3d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 1998) .......................................................................... 52
`
`
`
`vii
`
`Ex. 1071-012
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 13 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`Wyers v. Master Lock Co.,
`616 F.3d 1231 (Fed. Cir. 2010) .......................................................................... 57
`Zenith Elecs. Corp v. PDI Comm’n Sys., Inc.,
`522 F.3d 1348 (Fed. Cir. 2008) .................................................................... 48, 50
`
`STATUTES AND RULES
`28 U.S.C. §1295(a)(1) .............................................................................................. 66
`28 U.S.C. §1331 ...................................................................................................... 66
`28 U.S.C. §1338(a) .................................................................................................. 66
`35 U.S.C. §102(b) .................................................................................................... 53
`Fed. R. Civ. P. 30(b)(1) ............................................................................................ 73
`Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(a) ........................................................................................... 23, 54
`Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(b) .......................................................................................... 23, 54
`Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2) ............................................................................................ 41
`
`AGENCY MATERIALS
`Ardagh Glass Inc. v. CulChrome, LLC,
`IPR2015-00944, Paper 9 (P.T.A.B. Sept. 29, 2015) ........................................... 11
`
`
`
`
`
`
`viii
`
`Ex. 1071-013
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 14 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`STATEMENT OF RELATED CASES
`Pursuant to Federal Circuit Rule 47.5, Plaintiffs - Cross-Appellants Green
`
`Mountain Glass, LLC and CulChrome, LLC note that:
`
`(a)
`
`(b)
`
`there have been no other appeals in this case; and
`
`there are no other cases pending in this or any other court that will
`
`directly affect or be directly affected by this Court’s decision in Nos. 18-1725,
`
`-1784.
`
`
`
`
`
`ix
`
`Ex. 1071-014
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 15 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES
`1. Whether the district court correctly construed the phrase “unsorted
`
`mixed color glass cullet.”
`
`2. Whether the evidence was sufficient to sustain the jury’s infringement
`
`determination with respect to the “selectively” limitation.
`
`3. Whether Ardagh’s invalidity case was both preserved and so
`
`overwhelming that no reasonable juror could have thought Ardagh failed to meet
`
`its clear-and-convincing burden of proof.
`
`4. Whether substantial evidence supports the damages verdict.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`For decades, glassmakers faced a serious obstacle to reusing glass. Glass
`
`“cullet”—recycled glass—typically includes multiple colors. But using more than
`
`a minimal amount of mixed-color cullet would yield “off-color” bottles. Color-
`
`sorting the cullet was ineffective: Colors could not be separated entirely, and a
`
`large quantity of mixed-color cullet remained—typically ending up in landfills.
`
`See Appx6372-6377.
`
`The invention at issue—U.S. Patent No. 5,718,737 (“the ’737 patent”)—
`
`resolved that problem. Its novel use of colorizers and decolorizers allows glass-
`
`makers to use mixed-color cullet to generate properly colored bottles, yielding
`
`enormous cost-savings. The evidence showed that Ardagh “deliberate[ly]
`
`Ex. 1071-015
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 16 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`cop[ied]” the patent and then knowingly infringed for years without any “‘good
`
`faith belief’ that the ’737 patent was invalid” or “not infringed.” Appx31-32. The
`
`jury found Ardagh’s infringement “especially worthy of punishment”—“egregious
`
`. . . wanton, malicious, consciously wrongful, or done in bad faith.” Appx75.
`
`Ardagh challenges the construction of one claim term—“unsorted mixed
`
`color cullet.” The court, it argues, should have given “unsorted mixed color cullet”
`
`a different construction than “mixed color cullet.” But Ardagh told the district
`
`court they mean the same thing, and the court agreed. The court’s refusal to credit
`
`Ardagh’s 11th-hour about-face, just before trial, was not error. The specification
`
`and claims repeatedly use “unsorted mixed color cullet” and “mixed color cullet”
`
`interchangeably. Ardagh’s contrary view would turn the abstract and summary of
`
`invention into nonsense. And Ardagh’s construction—that “unsorted mixed-color
`
`cullet” means cullet that has never been subjected to any kind of sorting, even
`
`wholly unsuccessful sorting—is incorrect. Glass that remains a disordered jumble
`
`of mixed colors is “unsorted mixed color cullet.” Ardagh’s construction makes
`
`infringement depend on what happened to the cullet—its potentially unknowable
`
`history—as opposed to its current condition. And Ardagh’s construction directly
`
`contradicts the prosecution history Ardagh invokes.
`
`Ardagh otherwise asks this Court to reweigh the evidence and second guess
`
`jury determinations. This Court does not “reweigh the evidence or consider what
`
`
`
`2
`
`Ex. 1071-016
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 17 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`the record might have supported, or investigate potential arguments that were not
`
`meaningfully raised.” Apple Inc. v. Samsung Elecs. Co., 839 F.3d 1034, 1062
`
`(Fed. Cir. 2016) (en banc). Ardagh’s non-infringement position reduces to a
`
`waived claim-construction argument that is chemically impossible and gram-
`
`matically incorrect. There was substantial proof that Ardagh practiced every
`
`limitation—including expert testimony, Ardagh employees’ concessions, and
`
`Ardagh’s own records.
`
`Ardagh’s remaining challenges, to validity and damages, are waived and
`
`without merit. Its prior-use argument rested on shaky foundations; overwhelming
`
`evidence disproved it; and the jury was not required to find Ardagh met its clear-
`
`and-convincing burden. Substantial evidence supported the damages award.
`
`I.
`
`STATEMENT OF THE CASE
`TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
`U.S. Patent No. 5,718,737 (“the ’737 patent”) revolutionized glass recycling,
`
`making it possible to recycle “mixed colored cullet glass, i.e., broken pieces of
`
`glass of mixed colors and types,” to make “useful glass products” with
`
`commercially acceptable colors. Appx139, 1:13-16.
`
`A. The Limited Use of Cullet Before the ’737 Patent
`For years, glassmakers used two different sets of materials to make bottles.
`
`They used raw materials like sand, soda ash, and limestone. And they melted
`
`existing glass—broken pieces called “cullet”—together with that raw material.
`3
`
`
`
`Ex. 1071-017
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 18 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`Appx1708. Cullet has significant advantages. Appx1394. It is cheaper than raw
`
`materials; requires less energy to melt; is less taxing on furnaces; reduces
`
`environmental emissions; and “[m]ake[s] more glass with less raw materials.”
`
`Appx1394-1398.
`
`For decades, however, most cullet could not be used in large quantities.
`
`During the manufacturing process, some bottles break or are otherwise unusable.
`
`Those become “internal” or “glass producer waste” cullet, Appx140, 4:14-16,
`
`which is typically a single color, Appx1173-1175. Such single-color cullet could
`
`be used to make bottles of that same color. Appx1218-1219. But cullet from other
`
`sources (such as consumer recycling) typically contains glass of various colors—
`
`“mixed color cullet”—including “amber,” “green,” and “flint” (clear). Appx139,
`
`1:29-37. Using anything but a minimal amount of mixed-color cullet produces
`
`unacceptable “off colors” in the finished product. Appx1398-1399.
`
`Thus, in 1994 (just months before the ’737 patent’s priority date) a trade
`
`association observed: “Glass manufacturers require cullet that’s separated by
`
`color—clear, amber or green.” Appx6373. “[V]ery little . . . mixed color cullet
`
`[could] be used in the making of glass.” Appx1399. It was dumped in landfills or
`
`blended into asphalt. Id. Demand for mixed-color cullet was so low that recyclers
`
`considered “discontinu[ing] recycling glass cullet because of the poor economics.”
`
`Appx4481 (1995 letter from Ardagh Senior Vice President).
`
`
`
`4
`
`Ex. 1071-018
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 19 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`Color-sorting techniques—e.g., by hand or optical methods—were “not
`
`wholly effective for the separation and color sorting of all the glass.” Appx139,
`
`1:55-58; see Appx1570; Appx1174. “Since sorting is not fully effective,”
`
`Appx139, 2:13, the resulting cullet would include off-color glass, Appx1570;
`
`Appx1650; Appx1174. Moreover, because sorting small pieces is difficult, “a by-
`
`product of . . . recycling, even when an attempt is made to sort the glass by color, is
`
`a quantity of mixed colored pieces.” Appx139, 1:64-67.
`
`The inclusion of any appreciable quantity of off-color glass could ruin the
`
`batch. Appx1175. Bottle makers could use only “amber cullet for amber glass,”
`
`etc. Appx1218. Diluting a small quantity of cullet with off-color pieces into a
`
`larger batch could prevent the resulting color from being perceptibly changed.
`
`Appx1174; Appx1570. But that “dilution is the solution” approach allowed
`
`glassmakers to use only some relatively well-color-sorted cullet, if it contained
`
`small quantities of off-color glass. Appx1174; Appx1570. The vast majority of
`
`mixed-color cullet remained unusable. Appx6737.
`
`B. Mosch Overcomes the Barriers To Using Mixed-Color Cullet and
`Obtains a Patent
`All of that changed in 1995, when an engineer named Duane Mosch
`
`invented a method of making glass from mixed-color cullet. The invention
`
`“us[ed], in a novel way, existing technology, decolorizers, colorizers . . . to make
`
`unsorted color glass any color you want.” Appx1370 (Mosch testimony); see
`5
`
`
`
`Ex. 1071-019
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 20 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`Appx140, 3:29-40. Chemical decolorizers “pick[] a color” from the cullet “that
`
`you don’t want, say, green,” and remove it. Appx1176-1177. For example, to
`
`produce amber-colored glass from mixed-color cullet, green glass in the mixed-
`
`color cullet is decolorized by adding chemical or physical decolorizing agents.
`
`Appx141, 5:67-6:34. A remaining color can be enhanced with colorizers.
`
`Appx141, 6:35-48.
`
`When Mosch applied for a patent, Appx3010, the Examiner initially rejected
`
`the application. The Examiner pointed to the application’s statement that cullet
`
`can be used after it is “sort[ed] . . . by color,” Appx3011:11-12, mistakenly
`
`construing that as an admission that “mixed color cullet is used in the glassmaking
`
`art” already, Appx3040; Appx44. In response, Mosch explained that existing
`
`methods required “sort[ing] by color,” which “is imprecise” and leaves otherwise
`
`unusable “mixed color pieces as a by-product” anyway. Appx3142-3143. Mosch
`
`then distinguished between sorted single-color cullet and unsorted mixed-color
`
`cullet: “[W]hile sorted single color glass cullet has indeed been recycled into
`
`new glass products, the unsorted mixed color glass cullet has not . . . been
`
`recycled into new glass products of a particular color.” Appx3142 (emphasis
`
`added). Consistent with that explanation, the patent was amended to use “mixed
`
`color cullet” and “unsorted mixed color cullet” interchangeably—and as distinct
`
`from sorted, single-color cullet. Appx3126-3139.
`
`
`
`6
`
`Ex. 1071-020
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 38 Page: 21 Filed: 11/07/2018
`
`The ’737 patent—titled “[m]ethod of recycling mixed colored cullet into
`
`amber, green, or flint glass”—issued on February 17, 1998, Appx138, with a
`
`March 3, 1995 priority date, Appx83. It explains that mixed-color cullet can be
`
`“reclaimed, post-consumer glass” or a mix of “glass producer waste cullet” (i.e., a
`
`mix of single-color cullet). Appx140, 4:12-15; see Appx142-143. Independent
`
`claim 18 is illustrative:
`
`18. A method of creating recycled glass products, comprising the
`steps of:
`obtaining unsorted mixed color glass cullet having glass of at
`least two different colors;
`adding an amount of the unsorted mixed color glass cullet to a
`raw virgin soda-lime glass batch mixture for glass of a particu-
`lar color;
`adding to said virgin batch mixture at least one of a decolor-
`izing agent which selectively decolorizes at least one of the
`colors of said unsorted mixed color glass cullet other than said
`particular color and a colorizing agent which enhances said
`particular color of said unsorted mixed color glass cullet;
`melting the virgin batch mixture with said mixed color glass
`cullet and any agent added in said adding step to a molten state;
`and
`creating a recycled glass product of said particular color from
`the selectively colorized/decolorized virgin batch mixture.
`Appx142-143, 8:61-12. The patent defines “mixed color glass cullet” as “broken
`
`pieces of glass of mixed colors and types.” Appx139, 1:14-15.
`
`
`
`7
`
`Ex. 1071-021
`
`

`

`Case: 18-1725 Document: 3

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket