Epson sues many more ink cartridge resellers

[Mr. Pickles]

Who says there is NO profit in ink cartridge sales Epson must think so. What do you all think about this?

Epson sues many more ink cartridge resellers
By Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

Seiko Epson Corp. has filed more lawsuits against companies making or selling third-party ink cartridges that it believes infringe upon its intellectual patents.

The company filed a complaint last week with the U.S. International Trade Commission against 24 companies that manufacture, import, or distribute aftermarket ink cartridges for sale in the U.S., the Japanese company said on Tuesday. The complaint seeks to ban the companies from importing or selling the cartridges in question in the U.S. In conjunction with this case the company also filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Portland against the same companies seeking damages for the alleged intellectual property infringement.

Epson has also kicked off a patent infringement case against the English High Court against Medea International Ltd., it said Wednesday. As in the U.S. cases Epson is alleging that ink cartridges imported by Medea International, which are sold in the U.K. under the Inkrite Photo Plus brand, infringe upon its patents.

The case against the U.K. company was brought after it began promoting a spongeless valve design in its cartridges as being “radically different and unique.” In fact, the design is similar to a patented Epson technology and the lawsuit was brought “to set the record straight,” Epson said in a statement.

Epson fought similar battles in 2005.

In April it filed lawsuits in the same Portland court against Armor SA, of Nantes, France, and Multi-Union Trading Co. Ltd., of Hong Kong. The latter ended with a settlement that saw 75 of Multi-Union’s cartridge models barred from being imported and sold in the U.S.

In June the U.K.’s Environmental Business Products Ltd. said it had stopped importing and supplying Epson-compatible printer cartridges as a result of an out of court settlement between it and the Japanese company and in October another British company, CybaHouse Ltd., agreed to stop selling and importing Epson-compatible cartridges as part of a settlement with Epson.

[JDArt]

Hmm. Ink costs entirely too much. Looks like a new approach is needed: a standard-based approach usually unravels monopolistic practices.

[Kevin Barrett]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

Who says there is NO profit in ink cartridge sales Epson must think so. What do you all think about this?

Epson sues many more ink cartridge resellers
By Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

Seiko Epson Corp. has filed more lawsuits against companies making or selling third-party ink cartridges that it believes infringe upon its intellectual patents.

The company filed a complaint last week with the U.S. International Trade Commission against 24 companies that manufacture, import, or distribute aftermarket ink cartridges for sale in the U.S., the Japanese company said on Tuesday. The complaint seeks to ban the companies from importing or selling the cartridges in question in the U.S. In conjunction with this case the company also filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Portland against the same companies seeking damages for the alleged intellectual property infringement.

Epson has also kicked off a patent infringement case against the English High Court against Medea International Ltd., it said Wednesday. As in the U.S. cases Epson is alleging that ink cartridges imported by Medea International, which are sold in the U.K. under the Inkrite Photo Plus brand, infringe upon its patents.

The case against the U.K. company was brought after it began promoting a spongeless valve design in its cartridges as being “radically different and unique.” In fact, the design is similar to a patented Epson technology and the lawsuit was brought “to set the record straight,” Epson said in a statement.

Epson fought similar battles in 2005.

In April it filed lawsuits in the same Portland court against Armor SA, of Nantes, France, and Multi-Union Trading Co. Ltd., of Hong Kong. The latter ended with a settlement that saw 75 of Multi-Union’s cartridge models barred from being imported and sold in the U.S.

In June the U.K.’s Environmental Business Products Ltd. said it had stopped importing and supplying Epson-compatible printer cartridges as a result of an out of court settlement between it and the Japanese company and in October another British company, CybaHouse Ltd., agreed to stop selling and importing Epson-compatible cartridges as part of a settlement with Epson.

Ink is where the profit is. Profit is good. Nothing wrong with protecting your margins.

[Sidebyte]

One area that Epson or any other printer company can combat though is to re-fill your own cartridges. As long as you are adept, use quality inks, there is no hazzard.

[sasc]

You cant refill the new Canon 4200. 5200 and others. They have chips that prevent this and write info into the printer that can tell Canon that you tried it. However some companines say they will have remanufactured ones coming this Summer. I just bought a Canon 4200 for a few dollars more than a set of Canon refills will cost for it, not realizing they had changed their cartridges. Its pretty ridiculous when people find it cheaper or the same price to just buy a new printer than a set of cartridges.

[pixelseeker]

I posted this on two other forums and it would be appropriate to post it here also.


Good news is being reported over at CNet

You may have to copy and past the link.

http://news.com.com/Congress+readies...l?tag=nefd.top


Apparently Congress is working on legislation to protect our copy righted photos and other stuff by impossing penalties on non commercial posting of unauthorized copyrighted material. Doesn't that make you feel much better?

But Wait!

Make sure you read all of the article. Because of the on going war on terroism they are increasing the penalties on pirated IP which includes devices that will circumvent copy right protected schemes. And even crimalizing the discussion of such devices.

Remember the Sony rootkit? Any software or device that would remove the rootkit would be a crimal offense subject to 10 years in prison. Even posting the existence of the rootkit would be subject to criminal prosecution.

How about the ZAP device that resets the ink levels in ink jet cartridges? How the rip software that circumvents the Epson's PK cartridges to make them think they are MK instead. You are terroists, go to jail for 10 years and if it happens again you get to for 20 years the second time around.

And one more thing. Your computers and other hardware will be subject ot asset forefiture under the same guidelines as those used in the war on drugs. Most of us know how fair and just that program has been working? Will your house be subject to forefeiture if your 10 year old child is pirating a song off the internet while using the computer in their bedroom?

I am posting this information as a citizen of the US for informational purposes only because it is legislation being proposed by government representatives elected by the citizens of the United States of America.