UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`NIKE, INC.,
`
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`SHERRYWEAR LLC,
`
`Patent Owner.
`
`
`
`
`
`Case No. IPR2024-01122
`
`U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`
`
`
`

`

`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Table of Authorities ............................................................................................... vi
`
`Exhibit List Pursuant to 37 C.F.R § 42.63(E) ................................................... viii
`
`Listing of the Challenged Claims......................................................................... xii
`
`I.
`
`Introduction .................................................................................................... 1
`
`II. Mandatory Notices......................................................................................... 3
`
`A.
`B.
`C.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1): Real Parties-in-Interest .................................... 3
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2): Related Matters ............................................... 3
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) & (4): Lead and Back-Up Counsel and
`Service Information ............................................................................... 4
`III. Payment of Fees Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ........................................ 4
`
`IV. Certification of Standing Under 37 C.F.R. § 42.104 .................................. 4
`
`V. Overview of Challenge and Relief Requested ............................................. 5
`
`VI. Summary of the ’016 Patent ......................................................................... 5
`
`A. Overview of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016 ................................................ 5
`B.
`Effective Priority Date of the Challenged Claims ................................ 8
`VII. OVERVIEW OF THE PRIOR ART ........................................................... 9
`
`A. Vidai ...................................................................................................... 9
`1.
`Overview of Vidai ............................................................ 9
`2.
`Vidai Is Prior Art to the ’016 ..........................................10
`Pintor ...................................................................................................11
`
`B.
`
`i
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`C.
`
`1.
`Overview of Pintor .........................................................11
`Pintor Is Prior Art to the ’016 Patent ..............................12
`2.
`Handras ................................................................................................13
`1.
`Overview of Handras ......................................................13
`2.
`Handras Is Prior Art to the ’016 .....................................15
`VIII. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art ..............................................................15
`
`IX. Specific Grounds for the Petition ...............................................................16
`
`b.
`
`c.
`
`d.
`
`A. Ground 1: Claims 1, 2, 4, and 7 Are Unpatentable Over Vidai in
`View of Pintor. ....................................................................................16
`1.
`Claim 1 ............................................................................16
`a.
`“A bra pocket system combination comprising:”
`[1A] .................................................................................16
`“a strap assembly including a chest strap and
`shoulder straps;” [1B] .....................................................16
`“a left cup and a right cup, each cup having inside
`and outside surfaces,” [1C] .............................................17
`“the strap assembly being attached to the cups
`whereby the strap assembly holds the cups to a
`wearer;” [1D] ..................................................................18
`“a side patch on one of an inside or outside surface
`of each side of the chest strap adjacent to each of
`the left cup and right cup,” [1E] .....................................19
`“the side patches having upper and lower edges
`along at least part of a length of the strap, and side
`edges,” [1F] .....................................................................20
`“each side patch having stitching along the lower
`and side edges thus forming an upper opening at
`
`e.
`
`f.
`
`g.
`
`
`
`ii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`h.
`
`2.
`a.
`b.
`
`each side patch such that each side patch forms a
`pocket,” [1G] ..................................................................21
`“and wherein each side pocket extends onto the
`adjacent cup, such that each pocket spans both a
`part of the chest strap and the adjacent cup.” [1H] ........22
`Claim 2 ............................................................................24
`“The system as set forth in claim 1” [Preamble] ............24
`“wherein the cups and the patches form pockets,
`the cups being fabricated of a resilient closed cell
`polyurethane foam with a thickness of from 2 to 4
`millimeters” [2A] ............................................................24
`Claim 4 ............................................................................27
`“The system as set forth in claim 1” [Preamble] ............27
`“and further including a handheld electronic
`device, the handheld electronic device placed
`within one of the side pockets” [4A] ..............................28
`Claim 7 ............................................................................29
`“The system as set forth in claim 1” [Preamble] ............29
`“wherein each side pocket further comprises a
`closure, the closure having a first part on the side
`of the chest strap, and a second part on the patch,
`the first part connectable to the second part to
`close the pocket” [7A]. ...................................................29
`Reasons to Combine Vidai with Pintor ..........................30
`5.
`Ground 2: Claims 1, 2, 4, and 7 Are Unpatentable Over
`Handras in View of Pintor. ..................................................................32
`1.
`Claim 1 ............................................................................32
`a.
`“A bra pocket system combination comprising:”
`[1A] .................................................................................32
`
`3.
`a.
`b.
`
`4.
`a.
`b.
`
`B.
`
`
`
`iii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`b.
`
`c.
`
`d.
`
`e.
`
`f.
`
`g.
`
`h.
`
`2.
`a.
`b.
`
`3.
`a.
`b.
`
`“a strap assembly including a chest strap and
`shoulder straps;” [1B] .....................................................34
`“a left cup and a right cup, each cup having inside
`and outside surfaces,” [1C] .............................................35
`“the strap assembly being attached to the cups
`whereby the strap assembly holds the cups to a
`wearer;” [1D] ..................................................................36
`“a side patch on one of an inside or outside surface
`of each side of the chest strap adjacent to each of
`the left cup and right cup,” [1E] .....................................37
`“the side patches having upper and lower edges
`along at least part of a length of the strap, and side
`edges,” [1F] .....................................................................38
`“each side patch having stitching along the lower
`and side edges thus forming an upper opening at
`each side patch such that each side patch forms a
`pocket,” [1G] ..................................................................39
`“and wherein each side pocket extends onto the
`adjacent cup, such that each pocket spans both a
`part of the chest strap and the adjacent cup.” [1H] ........40
`Claim 2 ............................................................................42
`“The system as set forth in claim 1” [Preamble] ............42
`“wherein the cups and the patches form pockets,
`the cups being fabricated of a resilient closed cell
`polyurethane foam with a thickness of from 2 to 4
`millimeters” [2A] ............................................................42
`Claim 4 ............................................................................44
`“The system as set forth in claim 1” [Preamble] ............44
`“and further including a handheld electronic
`device, the handheld electronic device placed
`within one of the side pockets” [4A] ..............................44
`iv
`
`
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`4.
`a.
`b.
`
`Claim 7 ............................................................................45
`“The system as set forth in claim 1” [Preamble] ............45
`“wherein each side pocket further comprises a
`closure, the closure having a first part on the side
`of the chest strap, and a second part on the patch,
`the first part connectable to the second part to
`close the pocket” [7A]. ...................................................45
`Reasons to Combine Handras with Pintor ......................47
`5.
`Secondary Considerations ...................................................................48
`C.
`There is No Sound Basis for a Discretionary Denial ................................48
`
`X.
`
`A.
`
`B.
`
`2.
`3.
`
`4.
`
`Board Should Not Decline Institution Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §
`314(a) ...................................................................................................48
`1.
`Institution Will Enable at Least a Partial Stay in
`the MA Litigation ...........................................................48
`The Schedule in the MA Litigation ................................49
`Investment by the Court and the Parties in the MA
`Litigation .........................................................................50
`Overlap Between Issues Raised in This Petition
`and in the Parallel Proceeding ........................................50
`Same Parties ....................................................................51
`5.
`Other Circumstances Support Institution .......................51
`6.
`Board Should Not Decline Institution Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §
`325(d) ..................................................................................................51
`XI. Conclusion ....................................................................................................54
`
`Certification of Compliance ..................................................................................56
`
`Certification of Service ..........................................................................................57
`
`
`
`v
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
` Page(s)
`
`Cases
`Advanced Bionics, LLC v. Med-El Elektromedizinische Geräte
`GMBH,
`IPR2019-01469, Paper No. 6 (P.T.A.B. Feb. 13, 2020) ......................... 51, 53, 54
`Apple Inc. v. Fintiv, Inc.,
`IPR2020-00019 Paper 11, 6 (P.T.A.B. Mar. 20, 2020) ................................ 48, 50
`Becton, Dickinson & Co. v. B. Braun Melsungen AG,
`IPR2017-01586, Paper No. 8 (Dec. 15, 2017) .................................................... 53
`Ethicon LLC v. Intuitive Surgical, Inc.,
`2022 WL 1613188 (Fed. Cir. 2022) ....................................................... 32, 45, 48
`Geo. M. Martin Co. v. Alliance Machine Sys. Int’l LLC,
`618 F.3d 1294 (Fed. Cir. 2010) .......................................................................... 48
`KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex, Inc.,
`550 U.S. 398 (2007) ............................................................................................ 30
`KSR International Co. v. Telefax Inc., 72 Fed. Reg. 57,526 (Oct. 10,
`2007) ................................................................................................................... 30
`Microsoft Corp. v. Parallel Networks Licensing, LLC,
`IPR2015-00486, Paper 10 (P.T.A.B. July 15, 2015) .......................................... 52
`Minton v. Nat’l Ass’n of Sec. Dealers, Inc.,
`336 F.3d 1373 (Fed. Cir. 2003) .......................................................................... 18
`NanoCellect Biomedical, Inc. v. Cytonome/ST, LLC,
`IPR2020-00551, Paper 19 (P.T.A.B. Aug. 27, 2020) ......................................... 51
`Nat. Alternatives Int'l, Inc. v. Iancu,
`904 F.3d 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2018) ............................................................................ 8
`Oticon Med. AB v. Cochlear Ltd,
`IPR2019-00975, Paper 15 (P.T.A.B. Oct. 16, 2019) .................................... 50, 53
`
`
`
`vi
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`Regents of the Univ. of Minnesota v. Gilead Scis., Inc.,
`61 F.4th 1350 (Fed. Cir. 2023) ............................................................................. 9
`Sakraida v. Ag Pro, Inc.,
`425 U.S. 273 (1976) ............................................................................................ 30
`Sand Revolution II, LLC v. Cont’l Intermodal Grp. Trucking LLC,
`IPR2019-01393, Paper 24 (P.T.A.B. Jun. 16, 2020) .................................... 50, 51
`Satco Products, Inc. v. Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd,
`IPR2020-00410, Paper 8 (PTAB Aug. 10, 2020) ............................................... 54
`SherryWear, LLC, v. Nike, Inc.,
`No. 1:23-cv-11599 (D. Mass) ............................................................................... 3
`Sundance, Inc. v. DeMonte Fabricating Ltd.,
`550 F.3d 1356 (Fed. Cir. 2008) .......................................................................... 30
`Statutes
`35 U.S.C. § 102 .................................................................................................passim
`35 U.S.C. § 103 .................................................................................................... 5, 30
`35 U.S.C. § 314(a) ............................................................................................. 48, 51
`35 U.S.C. §315(b) .................................................................................................... 50
`35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) ............................................................................................... 51
`35 U.S.C. § 325(d) ............................................................................................. 51, 54
`Other Authorities
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8 ..................................................................................................... 3, 4
`37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b) .................................................................................................. 4
`37 C.F.R. § 42.103 ..................................................................................................... 4
`37 C.F.R. § 42.104 ................................................................................................. 4, 5
`
`
`
`
`vii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`EXHIBIT LIST PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R § 42.63(E)
`
`Description1
`Exhibit No.
`NIKE-1001 Declaration of Joyce Baran
`
`NIKE-1002 Resume of Joyce Baran
`
`NIKE-1003 Certified U.S. Patent No. 9,295,288 (filed Nov. 18, 2013)
`
`NIKE-1004 Certified Prosecution File History for U.S. Patent No. 9,295,288
`
`NIKE-1005 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1006 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1007 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1008 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1009 Certified U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016 (filed Feb. 5, 2015)
`
`NIKE-1010 Certified Prosecution File History for U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`NIKE-1011 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1012 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1013 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1014 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1015 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1016 RESERVED
`
`
`
`1 Descriptions are for convenience only and are not admissions or evidence.
`
`
`
`viii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`Exhibit No.
`
`Description1
`
`NIKE-1017 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1018 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1019 U.S. Patent No. 3,518,998 (filed Feb. 8, 1968) (“Barg”)
`
`NIKE-1020 U.S. Patent No. 2,920,628 (filed Oct. 7, 1958) (“York”)
`U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0051331 (filed Aug.
`20, 2012) (“Handras”)
`
`NIKE-1021
`
`NIKE-1022 U.S. Patent No. 7,753,759 (filed Sept. 29, 2008) (“Pintor”)
`NIKE-1023 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0037687(A1) (filed Aug. 12,
`2003) (“Newman”)
`NIKE-1024 U.S. Design Patent No. D597,279 (filed Oct. 26, 2008)
`(“Spillman”)
`
`NIKE-1025 U.S. Design Patent No. D529,259 (filed Jan. 13, 2006) (“Faagau”)
`
`NIKE-1026 EP211124(A1) (filed July 22, 1985) (“Vidai”) (Original)
`NIKE-1027 EP211124(A1) (filed July 22, 1985) (“Vidai”) (Official
`Translation)
`NIKE-1028 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1029 RESERVED
`NIKE-1030 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0223832 (filed Mar.
`4, 2011) (“Rose”)
`NIKE-1031 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1032 RESERVED
`
`
`
`ix
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`Description1
`
`Exhibit No.
`NIKE-1033 RESERVED
`Early Brassiere, Google Arts & Culture,
`https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/early-brassiere/-
`gGoCcJIsFqA1g?hl=en.
`Rebecca Unsworth, Hands Deep in History: Pockets in Men and
`Women’s Dress in Western Europe, c. 1480-1630, THE COSTUME
`SOCIETY (Edinburgh Univ. Press 2017),
`https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/epub/10.3366/cost.2017.0022.
`Derek Gentile, A comfortable convenience: County woman
`creates, patents the ‘pocketbra’, THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE (May 12,
`2014), https://www.berkshireeagle.com/business/a-comfortable-
`convenience-county-woman-creates-patents-the-
`pocketbra/article_039dd3a3-29d7-58a7-aa5a-fd5dc171479f.html.
`Kit-lun Yick et al., Study of thermal–mechanical properties of
`polyurethane foam and the three-dimensional shape of molded bra
`cups, 210 Journal of Materials Processing Technology at 116–21
`(Aug. 2009)
`
`NIKE-1034
`
`NIKE-1035
`
`NIKE-1036
`
`
`NIKE-1037
`
`
`NIKE-1038
`
`
`NIKE-1039
`
`
`NIKE-1040
`
`
`NIKE-1041
`
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,997,775 B2 (Feb. 14, 2006) (“Jagaric”)
`
`RESERVED
`
`MA Litigation, SherryWear’s Infringement Contentions, ’016
`Swoosh Bra Infringement Claim Chart
`
`MA Litigation, SherryWear’s Infringement Contentions, ’016
`Swoosh Pocket Bra Infringement Claim Chart
`
`NIKE-1042 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1043 RESERVED
`
`NIKE-1044 RESERVED
`
`
`
`x
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`Exhibit No.
`NIKE-1045 RESERVED
`
`Description1
`
`NIKE-1046 MA Litigation Docket No. 31 (Scheduling Order)
`NIKE-1047 LegalMetric District Report Massachusetts District Court in Patent
`Cases January 2019 to January 2024
`NIKE-1048 LegalMetric Individual Judge Report on Judge Leo Sorokin in
`Patent Cases June 2014 to April 2023
`Appendix A to SherryWear’s Answers and Objections to Nike’s
`First Set of Interrogatories (Response to Interrogatory No. 5)
`(Mar. 29, 2024).
`NIKE-1050 U.S. Patent No. 8,597,072 (filed Apr. 26, 2011)
`
`NIKE-1049
`
`NIKE-1051 File History for U.S. Patent No. 8,597,072
`
`NIKE-1052 RESERVED
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`xi
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`LISTING OF THE CHALLENGED CLAIMS
`
`The ’016 Patent
`
`Text of Claim
`
`Limitation
`Identifier
`Independent Claim 1
`[1A]
`“A bra pocket system combination comprising:”
`
`“a strap assembly including a chest strap and shoulder straps;”
`
`“a left cup and a right cup, each cup having inside and outside
`surfaces,”
`
`“the strap assembly being attached to the cups whereby the strap
`assembly holds the cups to a wearer;”
`
`“a side patch on one of an inside or outside surface of each side of
`the chest strap adjacent to each of the left cup and right cup,”
`
`“the side patches having upper and lower edges along at least part of
`a length of the strap, and side edges,”
`
`“each side patch having stitching along the lower and side edges thus
`forming an upper opening at each side patch such that each side patch
`forms a pocket,”
`
`“and wherein each side pocket extends onto the adjacent cup, such
`that each pocket spans both a part of the chest strap and the adjacent
`cup.”
`
`Dependent Claim 2
`
`“The system as set forth in claim 1”
`
`“wherein the cups and the patches form pockets, the cups being
`fabricated of a resilient closed cell polyurethane foam with a
`thickness of from 2 to 4 millimeters.”
`
`
`[1B]
`
`[1C]
`
`[1D]
`
`[1E]
`
`[1F]
`
`[1G]
`
`[1H]
`
`[2A]
`
`
`
`xii
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`The ’016 Patent
`
`Text of Claim
`
`Limitation
`Identifier
`Dependent Claim 4
`
`“The system as set forth in claim 1”
`
`“and further including a handheld electronic device, the handheld
`electronic device placed within one of the side pockets.”
`
`Dependent Claim 7
`
`“The system as set forth in claim 1”
`
`“wherein each side pocket further comprises a closure, the closure
`having a first part on the side of the chest strap, and a second part on
`the patch, the first part connectable to the second part to close the
`pocket.”
`
`
`[4A]
`
`[7A]
`
`
`
`xiii
`
`

`

`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`Nike, Inc. (“Petitioner”) respectfully requests inter partes review (“IPR”) and
`
`cancellation of claims 1, 2, 4, and 7 (“Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent No.
`
`9,289,016 (the “’016”) (NIKE-1009).
`
`The ’016 claims a bra with pockets on the chest strap. This is not novel: bras
`
`and pockets have been known for centuries. For example, a bra excavated from a
`
`castle in Austria was estimated to date back to the late 14th to second half of the 15th
`
`century:
`
`
`
`NIKE-1034.
`
`Pockets and their use in clothing have similarly been long understood.
`
`Pockets on pants, shirts, jackets, and other clothing have been a universal feature of
`
`1
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`fashion for over a century. See NIKE-1035 at 148; NIKE-1001 ¶109. This includes
`
`the combination of bras with pockets: for decades, companies and individuals
`
`worldwide have designed and created bras with pockets so that women may
`
`conveniently carry items. NIKE-1001 ¶110. Indeed, patents have disclosed pockets
`
`on bras for more than 50 years, decades before the ’016. NIKE-1027; NIKE-1022;
`
`NIKE-1021; see also generally NIKE-1019 (prior art bra with pockets on the breast
`
`cups); NIKE-1020 (same); NIKE-1025 (same); NIKE-1023 (same); NIKE-1030
`
`(prior art bra with pockets on the cups and chest strap); NIKE-1024 (prior art bra
`
`with pockets on the cups for holding a cell phone). Indeed, even the named inventor
`
`agreed that bras with pockets were “pretty obvious” at the time of her alleged
`
`invention. NIKE-1036.
`
`For example, Vidai, filed in 1985, almost 30 years prior to the ’016, discloses
`
`a bra with a pocket on the chest strap and renders the ’016 obvious:
`
`’016
`
`Vidai
`
`
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`NIKE-1009 at Fig. 14; NIKE-1027 at Fig. 1.2 Handras similarly renders the ’016
`
`obvious:
`
`’016
`
`Handras
`
`
`
`
`
`NIKE-1021 at Fig. 3.
`
`II.
`
`MANDATORY NOTICES
`Petitioner provides the following mandatory notices under 37 C.F.R. § 42.8.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(1): Real Parties-in-Interest
`A.
`The real party-in-interest is Nike, Inc.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(2): Related Matters
`B.
`The ’016 is at issue in the following case:
`
`• SherryWear, LLC, v. Nike, Inc., No. 1:23-cv-11599 (D. Mass), filed
`July 17, 2023 (“the MA Litigation”).
`
`
`
`2 All annotations are added, unless otherwise noted.
`
`
`
`3
`
`

`

`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`
`C.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 42.8(b)(3) & (4): Lead and Back-Up Counsel and
`Service Information
`Lead Counsel
`W. Todd Baker
`Reg. No. 45,265
`todd.baker@kirkland.com
`Postal and Hand-Delivery Address:
`KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP
`1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
`Washington, D.C. 20004
`Telephone: (202) 389-5000
`Facsimile: (202) 389-5200
`
`
`Back-Up Counsel
`Noah S. Frank
`Reg. No. 67,279
`noah.frank@kirkland.com
`Postal and Hand-Delivery Address:
`KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP
`200 Clarendon Street
`Boston, MA 02116
`Telephone: (617) 385-7500
`Facsimile: (617) 385-7501
`
`Petitioner concurrently submits a Power of Attorney pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §
`
`42.10(b) and consents to electronic service by email directed to the email address:
`
`Nike-SherryWear@kirkland.com.
`
`III.
`
`PAYMENT OF FEES PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. § 42.103
`Petitioner requests IPR of 4 claims. Any fees in connection with this Petition
`
`may be charged to Deposit Account No. 506092.
`
`IV.
`
`CERTIFICATION OF STANDING UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.104
`Petitioner certifies that the ’016 is available for IPR and that Petitioner is not
`
`barred or estopped from requesting IPR of the ’016 on the grounds identified herein.
`
`This Petition is being filed within one year of service of a complaint against
`
`Petitioner in the MA Litigation and more than nine months after the ’016’s issuance.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`V.
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`OVERVIEW OF CHALLENGE AND RELIEF REQUESTED
`Petitioner requests that all Challenged Claims be cancelled based on the
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`grounds set forth below (37 C.F.R. §§ 42.104(b)(1)–(2)):
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`Basis
`Claims
`1, 2, 4, 7 Unpatentable pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Vidai
`in view of Pintor
`1, 2, 4, 7 Unpatentable pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 103 over
`Handras in view of Pintor
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`Pursuant to §42.104(b)(4), an explanation of how the claims are unpatentable
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`is provided herein.
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`VI.
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`SUMMARY OF THE ’016 PATENT
`A. Overview of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
`The ’016 Patent issued on March 22, 2016, from U.S. Application No.
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`14/614,873, a continuation-in-part application filed on February 5, 2015. NIKE-
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`1009 at Cover. The ’016 purports to be a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent No.
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`9,295,288 (the “’288”), which purports to be a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent
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`No. 8,597,072 (“the ’072”). The ’288 resulted from Application No. 14/082,777,
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`filed November 18, 2013, and the ’072 resulted from Application No. 13/066,822,
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`filed April 26, 2011. See NIKE-1003; NIKE-1050. The purported advantage of the
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`claimed invention is “removably receiving a handheld electronic device while
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`providing support and shape to the breasts of a wearer, the receiving and supporting
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`5
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`and shaping being done in a safe, convenient and economical manner.” Id. at 1:8-
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`11. Consistent with known bra design, the claimed bra is comprised of “left and
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`right cups” adhered to the wearer via “a chest strap and shoulder straps.”
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`
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`NIKE-1009 at Fig. 9. While the ’016 as originally filed claimed pockets “operatively
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`associated with each cup,” i.e., pockets 204 in Figure 9, those claims were rejected
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`as anticipated by the prior art. See NIKE-1010 at 110–11 (May 22, 2015 Non-Final
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`Rejection). The applicant amended the claims in response to that rejection to instead
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`claim pockets on “each side of the chest strap adjacent to each of the [breast cups],”
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`where “each side pocket extends onto the adjacent cup.” NIKE-1010 at 129–33
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`(Aug. 24, 2015 Amendment in Response to Non-Final Rejection); see also NIKE-
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`1009 at Cl. 1. In addition to amending the claims, the applicant added new language
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`to the specification similar to the new claim language, and two additional figures
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`illustrating this new language:
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`
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`NIKE-1009 at Figs. 14–15, at 5:57 –61 (“In still a further embodiment, side pocket
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`268 may further extend at least partially into, over, or beneath the cup such that the
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`pocket, and potentially the upper opening 278 span both part of the chest strap and
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`part of the cup.”). The apparent reason for allowance of the ’016 is the inclusion of
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`pockets on the side of a bra’s chest strap that “extend onto” the cups.
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`The ’016 has 7 claims total. Only four of those claims—independent Claim
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`1, and dependent Claims 2, 4, and 7—are challenged here. Vidai, Pintor, and
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`Handras are all directed toward storing personal items in a bra pocket, and render
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`the Challenged Claims obvious.
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`7
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`Effective Priority Date of the Challenged Claims
`B.
`Patent Owner (“PO”) admits that November 18, 2013 is the earliest priority
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`date to which the ’016’s challenged claims are entitled.3 See NIKE-1049; Nat.
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`Alternatives Int'l, Inc. v. Iancu, 904 F.3d 1375, 1383 (Fed. Cir. 2018) (explaining
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`that priority is assessed on a claim-by-claim basis for continuation-in-part
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`applications, and that claims reciting new matter are not entitled to the parent
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`application’s earlier filing date). The claims of the ’016 require “a side patch on one
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`of an inside or outside surface of each side of the chest strap adjacent to each of the
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`left cup and right cup.” NIKE-1009 at Cl. 1. The earliest purported disclosure of
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`this is in the ’288, not the grandparent ’072. See NIKE-1003 at 5:9–11, Cl. 5, Figs.
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`11–12; NIKE-1050. Indeed, the applicant added Figures 11 and 12 during
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`prosecution of the ’288:
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`
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`3 Petitioner disputes that any claim of the ’016 Patent is entitled to an effective
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`priority date as early as November 18, 2013, and reserves the right to challenge
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`the priority date in any other proceeding. However, Petitioner does not contest
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`the November 18, 2013 effective priority date of the ’016 for the purposes of this
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`Petition because the prior art asserted here is prior art under the conceded date.
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`
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`
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`NIKE-1004 at Figs. 11–12; see also NIKE-1004; NIKE-1050; NIKE-1051.
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`Thus, such disclosure constitutes new matter and is only entitled to priority of the
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`filing date of the ’288—November 18, 2013. See NIKE-1003 at Cover; see also
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`Regents of the Univ. of Minnesota v. Gilead Scis., Inc., 61 F.4th 1350, 1356 (Fed.
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`Cir. 2023) (“each application in the chain … must comply with the written
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`description requirement” to be entitled to an earlier priority date); MPEP § 211.05.
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`VII.
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`OVERVIEW OF THE PRIOR ART
`A. Vidai
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`1. Overview of Vidai
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` Vidai is a European Patent Application filed July 22, 1985, and published
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`February 25, 1987. NIKE-1026; NIKE-1027. Vidai generally relates to a bra with
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`side pockets. See id. As illustrated below, Vidai discloses a bra with breast cups,
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`shoulder straps, and a chest strap encircling the torso of the wearer:
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`
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`Id. at Fig. 1 (showing only the left side of the chest strap). Additionally, Vidai
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`discloses pockets formed on either side of the chest strap, under the arm of the
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`wearer. Id. at 2:35-42. The pockets are formed “of a piece of fabric of which at
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`least three edges are combined with the side strip by any suitable means, in particular
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`by sewing.” Id. at 3:2-5. Vidai discloses the purpose of the pockets is to “hide
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`valuable objects” that would normally keep within a woman’s handbag during the
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`day. See id. at 1:2-7.
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`2. Vidai Is Prior Art to the ’016
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`Vidai is prior art to the ’016 under at least pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. §§ 102(b) or (e)
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`and AIA 35 U.S.C. § 102(a). Vidai is a European Patent Application, filed July 22,
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`1985, and published February 25, 1987, which is before the ’016’s earliest possible
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`priority date. See infra § VII.B. The ’016’s inventor is not named as an inventor on
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`Vidai. Vidai is therefore prior art to the ’016 under at least 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2).
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`Vidai was not cited or considered during the prosecution of the ’016.
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`B.
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`Pintor
`1. Overview of Pintor
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`Pintor issued on July 13, 2010, from U.S. Patent Application No. 12/240,408,
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`filed September 29, 2008. See NIKE-1022. Pintor generally relates to a bra with
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`concealed pockets on the inside surface of the upper, outer edge of the breast cups
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`for the storage of personal items. Id. Specifically, Pintor describes “a brassiere
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`containing concealed pockets for concealing objects such as portable electronic
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`devices, keys, toiletries, money and other valuables.” Id. at 4:59–61. As shown
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`below, the bra is comprised of two breast cups, a “medial portion” joining the cups,
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`as well as a “torso band” and “shoulder straps.” Id. at 5:25–36.
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`
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of U.S. Patent No. 9,289,016
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`
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`NIKE-1022 at Fig. 3 (showing a conventional bra assembly with a pocket on the
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`right cup). Further, the pocket (30) is “attached to the interior surface of the breast
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`cover by any known means such as stitching.” Id. at 3:51–53. Pintor discloses that
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`the cups and pockets may be formed of “elastomeric woven or nonwoven material,
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`including spandex, materials comprising [Lycra], polyurethane, nylon, polyolefins,
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`and the like.” Id. at 7:53–58.
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`2.
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`Pintor Is Prior Art to the ’016 Patent
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`Pintor is prior art to the ’016 under at least pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. §§ 102(b) o