Patent Information
Patent Information
Zoku, LLC (“Zoku”) and/or its licensors take its Intellectual Property seriously and expect others (e.g. vendors, competitors, retailers, and distributors) to do so as well. Zoku and/or its licensors have invested considerable financial resources to invent, design, manufacture, and market Zoku's products in the U.S. and Internationally.
Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights. Zoku and/or its licensors hold a wide variety of intellectual property rights, including U.S. Patent Numbers 8,961,163 B2; 8,057,207 B2; 8,430,658 B2; 9,272,444 B2; D626,384 S; D626,307 S; D630,407 S; D634,988 S; D637,035 S; D640,120 S; D642,021 S; D642,022 S; D655,147 S; D658,948 S; D689,746 S; D689,747S; D690,169 S; D705,607 S; D740,073 S; D733,769 S, European Community Design numbers 001776220-0001; 001776220-0002; 001776220-0003; 001776220-0004; 001863945; 002275008-0001; 002275008-0002; 002275008-0003, Canadian Patent Number 2,749,324, Canadian Industrial Design Registration Number 137761, Australian Patent Numbers 2010204996; 333896; 350412, Japanese Registered Design Number 1419335, Chinese Patent Number ZL201080007660.2, U.S. and International Utility Patent Applications and U.S and International Design Patent Applications, U.S. and International Trademarks, Copyrights and Trade Secrets. Therefore, Zoku will aggressively protect its Intellectual Property rights, involving the civil and criminal courts to the fullest extent allowed by law, including seeking injunctions to stop the sale of infringing products, impounding and destroying infringing products, and seeking substantial monetary damages (up to three times damages when available by law), and legal fees and costs. We invest in some of the best intellectual property enforcement available and have a global reach at all levels of various trade channels, including manufacturing, import/export, customs, distribution, and retail. Patent and trademark notices have been applied to all of Zoku’s relevant products and/or packaging to inform the trade that Zoku and its licensors have taken the appropriate steps to protect their Intellectual Property.
Recent Actions and Intellectual Property Infringement Settlements Include:
2015: Prominent Australian retailer with over 100 locations is ordered to cease and desist selling a counterfeit product that infringed upon Zoku’s patents and copyrights. As part of the settlement, the retailer incurred all costs associated with the loss of large quantities of counterfeit inventory and certified disposal of the counterfeit products.
2013: U.S. based manufacturer of ice cream makers and cooking appliances is ordered to cease and desist all sales and manufacturing of a popsicle maker that infringes upon Zoku’s U.S. Patents. The manufacturer offers Zoku an undisclosed financial settlement and is ordered to destroy all remaining inventory.
2013: The Korean Trademark Office issues a decision against a company that was illegally copying the Zoku brand in Korea. The Korean Trademark Office supported Zoku’s trademark forcing the opposing party to abandon its claims to Zoku’s trademark
and products. The following is a statement from the Korean Trademark Office: “Considering all these facts, it is clear that the applicant filed the subject mark in bad faith to free-ride on the image of good quality of [Zoku’s] goods and to obtain unjustifiable profit, etc. Therefore, we can conclude that the subject mark cannot be registered under Article 7(1)(12) of the Korean Trademark Act.”
2013: A global digital publishing website obtained and published a copy of Zoku’s Quick Pops recipe book without permission. Upon receipt of notice from Zoku, the website immediately removed the copyrighted material.
2012: Well-known U.S. manufacturer of kitchen appliances and electric household products ceases all sales, marketing, and production of a popsicle maker that infringes Zoku’s intellectual property rights. Upon presentation of Zoku’s patent information at the 2012 International Home and Housewares Show, the manufacturer immediately removed the infringing popsicle maker and all associated sales and marketing materials from its booth.
2012: One of the world's largest television retailers ceases all television and internet sales of a popsicle maker that infringed upon Zoku's intellectual property rights. At Zoku's request, all of the private label inventory created for the retailer is shipped back to the manufacturer at the manufacturer's expense.
2011: UK based European distributor and manufacturer of housewares products with annual sales of over $128 Million pays an undisclosed financial settlement to Zoku, LLC for infringement of Zoku’s intellectual property rights. The company ceases the production, importation, marketing, and distribution of its infringing ice pop maker, and is ordered to destroy all remaining inventory of the product.