Reebok International Ltd. has filed a lawsuit against Nike, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, claiming Nike infringed on a patent arising from ReebokÂs collapsible shoe technology. The complaint identifies several Nike menÂs and womenÂs shoes that
infringe upon ReebokÂs patented flexible sole technology, which also allows shoes to be collapsed for travel or for packaging. Infringing products include 11 different Nike shoes marketed under the ÂFree, ÂFree Flex, ÂFree Zen & Now, ÂFree Trainer, and ÂFree Trail product names.
The Reebok patent protects technological design features of a system that includes flexible materials in the productÂs sole. The suit alleges that despite ReebokÂs patent protection, Nike Âwilfully and intentionally developed shoes that use ReebokÂs technology. Diana Wainrib, Chief Counsel for Reebok said: ÂReebok is a recognized innovator with a commitment to continuous improvement of footwear technology for the benefit of our consumers. We will act to protect our research and development efforts whenever companies try to claim Reebok technology as their own.
In January of this year, the U.S. patent was issued for ReebokÂs flexible sole shoe technology. This technology is part of a research and development legacy that includes The Pump, an air-filled bladder first introduced in 1989 that can be manually or automatically inflated the DMX air-cushioning system in use since 1996, and, more recently, KFS, a kinetic fit system in which stretchable material in the shoe allows panels to move independently to improve fit throughout the gait. Reebok International Ltd., headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of sports, fitness and casual footwear, apparel and equipment. A subsidiary of the adidas Group, the company operates under the multiple divisions of the Reebok brand, Reebok-CCM Hockey and the Sports Licensed Division.