Hoshizaki America, Inc. (hereafter “Hoshizaki”), a leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen equipment based in Peachtree City, Georgia, sued Blue Air FSE LLC and its parent company, Bluenix Co., Ltd, for patent infringement today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and has filed a complaint requesting that the International Trade Commission institute a related patent infringement investigation. In these lawsuits, Hoshizaki accuses several Blue Air and Bluenix icemaking products of infringing three of Hoshizaki’s US patents. Hoshizaki is seeking to stop Blue Air and Bluenix from making, using, selling, or importing into the United States any infringing products as well as an award of money damages.
“Hoshizaki has a long history of innovation and has become a market leader by investing millions of dollars in research and development,” said Chris Karssiens, Hoshizaki America’s President. “We place great importance on protecting our intellectual property and take it very seriously when someone infringes our patents into which we have dedicated so much of our energy and resources.”
Hoshizaki’s patents are directed generally to ice making systems, evaporators, and related manufacturing methods. The lawsuits allege that Blue Air and Bluenix manufacture and sell ice makers and dispensers that infringe Hoshizaki’s patents, including the BLMI-500A and BLMI-900A ice machines. The patents cited in the lawsuit are U.S. Patent No. 10,107,538 B2 (“Ice Cube Evaporator Plate Assembly”), U.S. Patent No. 10,113,785 B2 (“Ice Making Machine and Ice Cube Evaporator), and U.S. Patent No. 10,458,692 B2 (“Ice Making Machine and Ice Cube Evaporator”). “Hoshizaki is determined to stop unauthorized copying or use of its patented technologies and will take all possible measures available under the law to protect its innovations and the integrity of our market and industry,” added Mr. Karssiens.