In line with other patent infringement lawsuits filed by Riddell, the helmet company is now also suing Schutt Sports. Riddell claims that Schutt infringed on their patents titled “Sports Helmet” and “Sports Helmet with Quick-Release Faceguard Connector and Adjustable Internal Pad Element.” According to Riddell, patent infringements occurred in Schutt’s Vengeance, ION4D, AiR XP, and DNA adult and youth helmets.
Last April, Riddell also brought a patent lawsuit against Schutt Sport but added Xenith LLC in its claim filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. The suit against Xenith does not include the quick release faceguard design claim. Riddell is now trying to merge the current claim with the April claim and seeks injunctive relief along with damages in both cases.
In bold typeface, Schutt Sports made clear that “the two cases involve different defendants, different asserted patents, different asserted claims, different accused products, and different infringement theories. The only similarity between the two cases is that they both have the same plaintiff and two asserted patents in common.” Those similarities, Schutt asserts, are insufficient to warrant a reassignment of the case. Schutt requests that Riddell’s motion for reassignment be denied.
Riddell and Schutt are no stranger to each other in the courtroom. In 2010, Riddell won a patent infringement suit against Schutt. After Riddell’s victory, Schutt filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was sold at an auction to a private equity firm Platinum Equity.
Riddell is currently also implicated in the NFL class action suit relating to concussions-related injuries.