Mueller Sports Medicine has won a patent infringement lawsuit defending the companys No Glare Strips. A federal court jury in Madison, Wisconsin recently ruled for Mueller against Houston-based SportStar Athletics. Also in that case, the jury found SportStars actions to be willful, entitling Mueller to seek triple damages and fees.
The companys attorney, Stephan Nickels of Foley & Lardner, said this product is a pretty big product for Mueller because it has been central to the building of their brand. No Glare Strips were invented by Ron Micchia, a dentist who sub-sequently sold the rights to Mueller. The product is designed to reduce glare in an athletes eyes like greasepaint while being easier and cleaner to use. Independent studies have proven that the original Mueller No Glare Strips reduce the amount of light entering the eyes by 2.6% while the No Glare Strips Premium reduce the amount of light by 12.3%.
Mueller has initiated three separate lawsuits defending the companys patented No Glare Strips, as well as five other cases that were settled before going to court. President Brett Mueller says, “it appears numerous companies like our idea, but we do defend out patents vigorously.”