Seiko Epson v. Creek Manufacturing: Printing Patent Case Settled
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📋 Case Summary
| Case Name | Seiko Epson Corporation v. Creek Manufacturing, LLC |
| Case Number | 1:23-cv-00570 |
| Court | California Eastern District Court |
| Duration | Apr 2023 – Aug 2025 2 years 4 months |
| Outcome | Settled/Dismissed – Plaintiff Win (Implied) |
| Patents at Issue | |
| Accused Products | Printing material containers, ink tanks, and related components |
Case Overview
The Parties
⚖️ Plaintiff
One of the world’s largest manufacturers of printing technology, headquartered in Japan with substantial operations and IP assets in the United States.
🛡️ Defendant
Smaller domestic entity operating in the printer consumables market, involved in manufacturing or distribution of compatible printing material containers.
The Patent at Issue
This case centered on U.S. Patent No. 8,454,116 B2, covering technology fundamental to the global inkjet printer supply chain.
- • US 8,454,116 B2 — Printing material container and a board mounted on a printing material container
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Litigation Timeline & Legal Analysis
Outcome
The case was resolved through a combination of voluntary dismissals and consent judgments. No publicly disclosed jury verdict, damages award, or court-determined liability finding was entered, but Seiko Epson secured a favorable resolution. The specific financial terms of any settlement arrangement were not disclosed.
Litigation Timeline
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Complaint Filed | April 11, 2023 |
| Voluntary Dismissals & Consent Judgments | By January 4, 2024 |
| Court Status Inquiry Issued | August 1, 2025 |
| Plaintiff Status Report Filed | August 8, 2025 |
| Case Officially Closed | August 12, 2025 |
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⚠️ Freedom to Operate (FTO) Analysis & Strategic Takeaways
This case highlights critical IP risks in printing material container design. Choose your next step:
📋 Understand This Case’s Impact
Learn about the specific risks and implications from this litigation.
- View the asserted patent: US 8,454,116 B2
- See how dominant OEMs enforce their patent portfolios
- Understand the use of consent judgments as resolution tools
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High Risk Area
Printing material containers with embedded boards
1 Related Patent
US 8,454,116 B2
Untested Validity
Patent validity remains judicially unchallenged
✅ Key Takeaways
For Patent Attorneys & Litigators
Consent judgments combined with voluntary dismissals provide flexible, enforceable resolution mechanisms in multi-defendant patent cases.
Search related case law →Early resolution (within ~9 months) did not prevent administrative docket delays exceeding 19 months — proactive status reporting to courts is essential.
Explore litigation best practices →Engaging top-tier IP litigation counsel (Quinn Emanuel) signals enforcement seriousness and may itself accelerate defendant settlement decisions.
Analyze counsel track records →For R&D Teams & IP Professionals
U.S. 8,454,116 B2 remains judicially unchallenged on validity — an active risk for companies in the printing consumables supply chain.
View patent validity analysis →Conduct FTO analysis on printing material container designs with embedded communication boards before market entry.
Start FTO analysis for my product →Consent judgment outcomes in competitor cases do not establish safe harbors for design-arounds; continuous FTO is critical.
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