DCT

1:24-cv-00832

Tethrd LLC v. Latitude Outdoors LLC

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I. Executive Summary and Procedural Information

  • Parties & Counsel:
  • Case Identification: 1:24-cv-00832, W.D. Mich., 08/12/2024
  • Venue Allegations: Venue is asserted on the basis that Defendant is a Michigan company with a regular and established place of business in the district, where it has allegedly committed acts of patent infringement.
  • Core Dispute: Plaintiff alleges that Defendant’s saddle-hunting equipment, specifically its bridge rope assemblies, infringes a patent related to a specific rope construction for hunting safety harnesses.
  • Technical Context: The technology concerns safety equipment for "saddle hunting," an elevated hunting method where the hunter is suspended in a harness, or "saddle," and tethered to a tree.
  • Key Procedural History: The complaint alleges that Plaintiff sent Defendant a letter on June 3, 2024, providing a copy of the patent-in-suit and a preliminary infringement claim chart. The complaint further alleges that after receiving this notice, Defendant launched a new, allegedly infringing product. This alleged pre-suit notice forms the basis for the willfulness claim.

Case Timeline

Date Event
2020-01-07 '175 Patent Priority Date
2023-09-05 Plaintiff sends notice letter to Defendant regarding a related patent ('556 Patent)
2024-04-23 '175 Patent Issues
2024-06-03 Plaintiff sends notice letter to Defendant regarding '175 Patent infringement
Post 2024-06-03 Defendant allegedly launches the Maverick Saddle (date not specified in complaint)
2024-08-12 Complaint Filed

II. Technology and Patent(s)-in-Suit Analysis

U.S. Patent No. 11,964,175, "Bridge Rope Assembly" (issued Apr. 23, 2024)

The Invention Explained

  • Problem Addressed: The patent addresses a challenge in designing ropes for hunting harnesses. High-strength, lightweight materials like ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are desirable, but their low friction and susceptibility to heat damage can make them unsafe, as conventional splices and knots may not hold securely under stress ('175 Patent, col. 1:41-48).
  • The Patented Solution: The invention is a specific construction for a bridge rope assembly that allows for the safe use of these advanced materials. The core concept involves creating a splice to form an eye loop, and then "burying" a long portion of the rope's tag end back inside the main body of the rope, extending it nearly to the opposite end ('175 Patent, col. 3:11-24). This creates a doubled-up rope structure that increases friction, resists slippage of the buried end, and provides a thicker, more grippable surface ('175 Patent, col. 4:15-20). This main rope body is used in conjunction with a separate friction hitch to create an adjustable connection point on the harness ('175 Patent, col. 4:41-45).
  • Technical Importance: This construction purports to enable the use of stronger, lighter, and more durable materials in safety-critical hunting equipment, which were previously considered difficult to employ safely due to their material properties ('175 Patent, col. 1:41-48).

Key Claims at a Glance

  • The complaint’s infringement count focuses on Independent Claim 1.
  • Claim 1 requires:
    • A main body comprising a rope with a first and second end.
    • A splice in the main body forming an eye loop (for engaging a first bridge loop on a harness).
    • A first portion of the rope (including the first end) extending through a second portion of the rope (including the second end).
    • The first end is positioned within the second portion adjacent to the second end.
    • A friction hitch positioned on the main body.
    • The friction hitch is configured to engage a second bridge loop on the harness and comprises a closed loop.
  • The complaint notes that the issued patent contains a typographical error in Claim 1, reading "min body" instead of "main body," and states that Plaintiff is in the process of seeking a correction ('175 Patent, col. 6:20; Compl. ¶27 n.4).

III. The Accused Instrumentality

Product Identification

  • The "Method 2 Saddle" and the "Maverick Saddle," collectively referred to as the "Latitude Products" (Compl. ¶24).

Functionality and Market Context

  • The complaint identifies the accused products as saddle-hunting equipment offered for sale by Defendant, a direct competitor of Plaintiff (Compl. ¶10).
  • The key technical feature identified in the complaint is an "adjustable bridge [that] is built from Dyneema (commonly referred to as Amsteel), one of the strongest fibers on the planet" (Compl. ¶28). Dyneema and Amsteel are brand names for UHMWPE, the material explicitly mentioned as suitable for the patented invention ('175 Patent, col. 4:4-14). The complaint alleges this adjustable bridge is the infringing "rope bridge assembly" (Compl. ¶30).

IV. Analysis of Infringement Allegations

No probative visual evidence provided in complaint. The complaint references a preliminary claim chart in "Exhibit D," but this exhibit was not attached to the publicly filed complaint (Compl. ¶26). The following analysis is based on the complaint's narrative allegations.

  • ’175 Patent Infringement Allegations

| Claim Element (from Independent Claim 1) | Alleged Infringing Functionality | Complaint Citation | Patent Citation |
|:---------------------------------------------|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| a main body comprising a rope having a first end and a second end, the main body having a splice therein to form an eye loop in the main body, the eye loop being configured to engage the first bridge loop | The complaint alleges the Latitude Products include a rope bridge assembly that satisfies each element of the claim, which would necessarily include a rope body with an eye loop. | ¶¶25-26 | col. 3:7-10 |
| the main body comprising a first portion including the first end and a second portion including the second end, the first portion extending through the second portion of the main body such that the first end is positioned within the second portion adjacent to the second end | The complaint alleges the Latitude Products contain this specific "buried end" rope structure. | ¶¶25-26 | col. 3:11-24 |
| a friction hitch being positioned on the main body between the second end and the eye loop, the friction hitch being configured to engage the second bridge loop, the friction hitch comprising a closed loop | The complaint identifies the accused products' "adjustable bridge" as the infringing component, suggesting this feature is alleged to be the claimed friction hitch. | ¶¶28, 30 | col. 4:41-54 |

  • Identified Points of Contention:
    • Structural Questions: The central infringement question will be a structural one: does the rope construction in the Latitude Products meet the specific geometric limitations of Claim 1? This will require evidence comparing the accused rope's internal structure to the claim language, specifically the requirements that a "first portion" of the rope "extend[s] through the second portion" and that its end is positioned "adjacent to the second end."
    • Scope Questions: What is the scope of "adjacent to the second end"? While Claim 1 does not define a distance, dependent claim 14 adds the limitation "wherein a distance between the first and second ends is less than 2.0 inches." A court may need to determine whether the term "adjacent" in Claim 1 should be interpreted in light of this more specific disclosure.
    • Functional Questions: Does the "adjustable bridge" of the accused products function as the claimed "friction hitch comprising a closed loop"? The analysis will turn on whether the accused component is, in fact, a friction hitch made from a closed loop of rope, as opposed to another type of adjustable connector.

V. Key Claim Terms for Construction

  • The Term: "adjacent to the second end"

    • Context and Importance: This term defines the required proximity of the two rope ends within the "buried" structure. The degree of proximity is a core feature of the invention's claimed solution to prevent the buried end from backing out. Infringement may hinge on whether the accused product's rope ends are sufficiently "adjacent."
    • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:
      • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: Claim 1 itself does not assign a numerical value to "adjacent," which may support an argument for its plain and ordinary meaning of "close to or near."
      • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The specification states, "The first end 16 will typically...be located less than 2.0 inches from the second end 18" ('175 Patent, col. 3:23-24). Furthermore, dependent claim 14 explicitly adds this "less than 2.0 inches" limitation, which could be used to argue that "adjacent" in Claim 1 implies a very close, measurable distance.

  • The Term: "friction hitch"

    • Context and Importance: This element is a required component of the claimed assembly, separate from the main rope body. Practitioners may focus on this term because the complaint alleges an "adjustable bridge" infringes, and the court must determine if that feature meets the definition of a "friction hitch" as understood in the context of the patent.
    • Intrinsic Evidence for Interpretation:
      • Evidence for a Broader Interpretation: The term itself is common in the art of climbing and rigging. A party may argue it should be given its generally understood meaning without being limited to the patent's specific examples.
      • Evidence for a Narrower Interpretation: The specification provides a specific example, stating the closed loop is "formed into the friction hitch using what is commonly referred to as a Prusik knot" ('175 Patent, col. 5:30-32). The patent also requires the hitch to be made from a "closed loop 46" with a very specific internal construction ('175 Patent, col. 4:46-65). A party may argue these details limit the scope of the term to hitches with these particular characteristics.

VI. Other Allegations

  • Indirect Infringement: The complaint pleads only direct infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(a) (Compl. ¶24). No facts are alleged to support claims of induced or contributory infringement.
  • Willful Infringement: The complaint alleges willful infringement based on Defendant having received "actual notice and knowledge" of its infringement prior to the lawsuit (Compl. ¶22). This allegation is supported by the claim that Plaintiff sent a letter dated June 3, 2024, identifying the '175 Patent and its infringement by the Method 2 Saddle (Compl. ¶20). The complaint further alleges that Defendant's conduct was "willful and deliberate" and "egregious" because it continued to sell accused products and launched the new Maverick Saddle after receiving this notice (Compl. ¶¶ 23, 29-30, 33).

VII. Analyst’s Conclusion: Key Questions for the Case

  1. A core issue will be one of structural comparison: Does the internal construction of the rope in Latitude's "adjustable bridge" replicate the specific architecture required by Claim 1, particularly the "first portion extending through the second portion" such that the ends are "adjacent"? The outcome will likely depend on detailed, factual evidence about how the accused products are made.

  2. A second key question will be definitional scope: Is the accused "adjustable bridge" properly classified as a "friction hitch comprising a closed loop" as that term is used in the patent? This may require claim construction to determine if the term is limited to specific knot types (e.g., a Prusik knot) or structural forms disclosed in the specification.

  3. A significant legal question will concern willfulness: Did Latitude’s alleged continuation of sales and launch of a new product after receiving a detailed notice letter on June 3, 2024, constitute "egregious infringement behavior" sufficient to warrant enhanced damages under 35 U.S.C. § 284?