Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company v Tyco Electronics Pty Limited [2001] FCA 1359

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company v Tyco Electronics Pty Limited [2001] FCA 1359 PATENTS – claimed invention relating to electrical connector – principles of construction applicable to the claims – "tongues … formed on opposite walls of passageway in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the passageway" – "means for affording deflection of tongues". PATENTS – alleged infringement of claims in patent by respondent's electrical connector – whether respondent's connector possessed all essential integers of the claim – significance of copying of aspects of patentee's product. PATENTS – invalidity – want of inventive step – uninventive skilled worker – whether such a worker can be a team – nature and extent of common general knowledge – whether idea of combining wire retention and strain relief was obvious – whether combination of integers for electrical connector was obvious.

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