Hutt v Enig Pty Ltd [1998] FCA 686

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - patents - alleged infringement of combination patent - counterclaim for revocation - applicant a registered proprietor of a patent for diffuser valve used in fluidising powdered products. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - combination patent - construction of patent specification - principles to be considered by Court - purposive and common‑sense construction - what the normal person skilled in the art would determine as the meaning - whether the valve was a "controllable valve" - the location and extent of the valve face and the arcuate surface of the valve face - meaning of "overhang the valve seat". INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - infringement - whether respondents' valve infringed applicant's patent - whether respondents' valve controllable - whether respondents' valve face had an arcuate surface - whether fluid escaped from the respondents' valve at right angles to the valve member. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - combination patent - validity of patent - obviousness - Court to consider the selection of the combination of integers not each separate integer- want of novelty - sufficiency of description -whether the claims were fairly based on the matter described in the complete specification - whether there was a real and reasonably clear disclosure in the body of the specification that valve was a controllable valve and the fluid escaped at right angles. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - effect of Patents Act 1990 (Cth) on patents granted under Patents Act 1952 (Cth) Patents Act 1990 (Cth): s 40(3), s 233(1), s 233(4) Catnic Components Limited & Anor v Hill & Smith Limited [1982] RPC 183 - applied Populin v HB Nominees Pty Ltd (1982) 41 ALR 471 - applied Decor Corporation Pty Ltd & Anor v Dart Industries Inc (1988) 13 IPR 385 - applied British Celanese Ltd v Courtaulds Ltd (1935) 52 RPC 171 - applied Interact Machine Tools (NSW) Pty Ltd v Yamazaki Mazak Corporation (1993) 27 IPR 83 - applied Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co v Beiersdorf (Australia) Ltd (1980) 144 CLR 253 - applied Rehm Pty Ltd v Websters Security Systems (International) Pty Ltd (1988) 81 ALR 79 - applied CCOM Pty Ltd v Jiejing Pty Ltd (1994) 51 FCR 260 - applied Leonardis v Sartas No 1 Pty Ltd (1996) 67 FCR 126 - applied JAMES JOSEPH HUTT v ENIG PTY LTD & ORS VG 153 of 1993 GOLDBERG J MELBOURNE 12 JUNE 1998