Honeywell, Morris Township,NJ, announced that customs authorities in Taranto, Italy, in May seized 21 containers of air conditioning equipment charged with refrigerant R-410A that violated Honeywell’s European Patent (No. EP 0 533 673).
The action was based on an application for border seizure made by and granted to Honeywell — the inventor and patent-holder of R-410A — and is an indication of the company’s ongoing effort to halt the trade of patent-infringing goods.
The seizure was the result of a coordinated worldwide effort between Italian customs agents and licensed suppliers of R-410A. The infringing refrigerant was found in equipment shipped to Italy by a Chinese equipment manufacturer.
Honeywell has created a certified vendor program to encourage Chinese air-conditioner manufacturers to use R-410A refrigerant purchased from licensed suppliers.
In addition to its patent on R-410A, Honeywell holds patents related to the refrigerants R-404A, R-408A, R-507, R-236fa and 245fa.
The company says it will continue to take all appropriate actions to protect its intellectual property worldwide.
Visit www.honeywell.com for more information.