The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio has “confirmed and expanded upon” a September jury in favor of Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC (a joint venture with Dana) and Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, as well as Bendix’s parent, Munich-based Knorr-Bremse Group, in their air disc brake patent-infringement lawsuit brought against Haldex Brake Products Corp.
Bendix said the court has imposed a permanent injunction against Haldex and rejected Haldex’s request to continue ongoing sales of the infringing air disc brake product.
According to Bendix, after a weeklong trial, a jury found that Haldex “willfully infringed” on the Bendix and Knorr-Bremse U.S. patent rights to an improved air disc brake design used on tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles. Triple damages and attorney fees were also awarded to Bendix.
The permanent injunction against Haldex prevents the company from selling air disc brake products in the U.S. that utilize the patent-protected technology, said Bendix
Bendix said that its patented Bendix ADB22X air disc brake is a “lightweight air disc brake package offering longer brake life and fast and easy pad replacement…” The brakes are designed at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake headquarters in Elyria, OH, and manufactured at its facility in Bowling Green, KY.
The company also announced that with sales of the ADB22X having grown 120% over the past 12 months, it is adding a new state-of-the-art production line to meet the increasing demand.
“Compatible in a variety of combinations with North American tractor and trailer air drum foundation brakes, Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes are currently available as options at all six of the major truck OEMs [Peterbilt, Kenworth, Daimler Trucks North America, Mack, Volvo and International],” said Aaron Schwass, director for the foundation brake group at Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake.
“With 20 million air disc brakes on vehicles in Europe and another 150,000 in North America, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake and Knorr-Bremse are the world’s largest producer of air disc brakes,” Schwass added.