Oxworks Trading Pty Ltd v Gram Engineering Pty Ltd [2019] FCAFC 240

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Oxworks Trading Pty Ltd v Gram Engineering Pty Ltd [2019] FCAFC 240 Appeal from: Gram Engineering Pty Ltd v Oxworks Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 689

File number: NSD 988 of 2019

Judges: MCKERRACHER, BURLEY AND O'BRYAN JJ

Date of judgment: 23 December 2019

Catchwords: PATENTS – construction – whether the primary judge failed to construe the claim in the context of the specification as a whole – meaning of "formed from sheet material" – infringement – meaning of "sheet" – construction and infringement grounds of appeal dismissed PATENTS – award of additional damages – exercise of discretion under s 122(1A) of the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) – threshold for "flagrant" infringement – existence of a reasonably arguable defence to infringement – requirement to consider all other relevant matters contemplated by s 122(1A) – appeal allowed in part

Legislation: Patents Act 1990 (Cth) s 122(1A)

Cases cited: D'Arcy v Myriad Genetics Inc (2015) 258 CLR 334 Davies v Lazer Safe [2019] FCAFC 65 Electric and Musical Industries Ltd v Lissen Ltd (1938) 56 RPC 23 Gram Engineering Pty Ltd v Oxworks Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 689 H. Lundbeck A/S v Sandoz Pty Ltd (2018) IPR 408 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd v Safe Direction Pty Ltd (2018) 135 IPR 220 Pacific Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd v Bernen Pty Ltd (2014) 321 ALR 715 Pfizer Overseas Pharmaceuticals v Eli Lilly and Company (2005) 225 ALR 416 Raben Footware v Polygram Records Inc (1997) 75 FCR 88 Synthetic Turf Development Pty Ltd v Sports Technology International Pty Ltd (2005) 67 IPR 475 Welcome Real-Time SA v Catuity Inc (2001) 113 FCR 110 Zetco Pty Ltd v Austworld Commodities Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 848