LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 10, 2013) - Channell Commercial Corporation ("Channell" or the "Company") of Temecula, California, announced that it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Preformed Line Products ("PLP") of Mayfield Village, Ohio.
The complaint alleges that certain of PLP's products infringe Channell's U.S. Patent Nos. 7,381,888 entitled "Grade Level Enclosures for Underground Utility Connections" and 7,385,137 entitled "Enclosure System for Underground Utility Connection." These patents relate to Channell's improvements in converting ground-level vaults from permanent flush-to-grade installations, with enclosures and cables stored securely underground, to aboveground network installations. Due to the design, Channell's products utilize the patents at issue within various applications and has the unique option of converting enclosure applications from aboveground to underground or vice versa and providing a permanent installation for splice connections made when adding customer services.
The first of the Channell patents is for the grade-level enclosure's improved sidewall structural strength in an array of applications. The second relates to improvements in converting from belowground or aboveground enclosure installations in a split-cover design application and the ability of disconnecting the enclosure from its base or swing-arm and working on the unit remotely before returning it to its original location.
CEO William Channell Jr. notes that the patents at issue are part of Channell's core technology. "While we hope to resolve our differences with PLP fairly and amicably, Channell considers its technology proprietary and will fight to protect its forward thinking designs against PLP's Coyote GLC (Ground Level Closure) Series."
Christie, Parker & Hale represents Channell. Attorney David Dillard leads the legal team that filed the case. "We are confident that Channell has strong patent rights that are being infringed by PLP. Our job is to protect and enforce those rights so that Channell receives the benefits of its innovations," said Dillard.
Channell is a leading manufacturer of outside plant (OSP) underground utility enclosures and vaults that contain broadband, telecommunications, power or other low voltage cables or wires. Channell's versatile utility vaults, designed for ground level usage, such as greenbelts, sidewalks and driveways, provide secure installations, withstand exposures to different environmental conditions and resist heavy vertical loads.