A federal court jury in Madison, Wis., has found that Schutt Sports Inc.'s DNA and ION football helmets infringed the concussion reduction technology features of the Riddell Revolution family of football helmets. The jury awarded Riddell just under $30 million in damages for Schutt's infringing activities.
Riddell, the leading manufacturer of football helmets and a division of Easton-Bell Sports, had filed the original three-count federal court complaint in December 2008. Riddell had contended that Schutt, the company's chief competitor, had illegally infringed upon Riddell's patented concussion reduction technologies for football helmets and faceguards. The Riddell patents protect key technological features of helmets and faceguards that offer wearers greater injury protection, performance and personal comfort. The suit had alleged that despite Riddell's patent protection, Schutt had unlawfully misappropriated Riddell's head protection technology without permission.
“Riddell is the industry leader in football helmet safety and we have invested millions of dollars in technology and helmet design innovation to ensure we are providing the very best head protection available,” said Dan Arment, president of Riddell. “We are pleased and gratified that the jury recognized that the concussion reduction technology of our helmet inventions as embodied in the Revolution family of helmets was wrongfully infringed by Schutt. We will continue to vigorously and thoroughly defend any patent infringements against our helmet and protective equipment designs and technologies.”
