ITC Begins Section 337 Investigation on E-Cigarettes
The International Trade Commission will consider bans on imports of e-cigarettes from a lengthy list of companies in the U.S. and China, beginning a Section 337 investigation Dec. 10 to consider Juul Labs' claims of patent infringement, the ITC said in a news release. In a complaint filed in early October (see 1810110024), Juul said the companies are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy its patented designs, which cover pod-based e-cigarettes that use a heating element that atomizes a nicotine-containing liquid in a pod and delivers it to the user through the mouthpiece as a vapor. Juul has since filed a second, separate Section 337 complaint on the same products from a different set of companies (see 1811270017). The ITC will in its investigation consider issuing a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems by the following respondents:
- J Well France S.A.S. of Paris, France
- Bo Vaping, of Garden City, New York
- MMS Distribution LLC of Rock Hill, New York
- The Electric Tobacconist, LLC, of Boulder, Colorado
- Vapor 4 Life Holdings, Inc., of Northbrook, Illinois
- Eonsmoke, LLC, of Clifton, New Jersey
- ZLab S.A. of Punta del Este, Maldonado, Uruguay
- Ziip Lab Co., Limited, of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China
- Shenzhen Yibo Technology Co., Ltd., of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China
- XFire, Inc., of Stafford, Texas
- ALD Group Limited of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China
- Flair Vapor LLC of South Plainfield, New Jersey
- Shenzhen Joecig Technology Co., Ltd., of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China
- Myle Vape Inc. of Jamaica, New York
- Vapor Hub International, Inc., of Simi Valley, California
- Limitless Mod Co. of Simi Valley, California
- Asher Dynamics, Inc., of Chino, California
- Ply Rock of Chino, California
- Infinite-N Technology Limited of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China
- King Distribution LLC of Elmwood Park, New Jersey
- Keep Vapor Electronic Tech. Co., Ltd., of Shenzhen, China.
(ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1139)