China’s Zhengzhou Higher People’s Court has ruled that two Chinese companies, Jianxin Rubber (Fujian) Co. Ltd and PT. Beststone Rubber Industries Co. Ltd., infringed on Bridgestone Corp.’s design rights. The court ruled in October 2014 that a TBR pre-cure tread the companies manufactured and sold violated Bridgestone’s copyright, according to Tyres & Accessories.
Bridgestone filed its original lawsuit in September 2011, claiming the TBR tread pattern violated the rights to a pattern Bridgestone holds for automobile tires.
The Zhengzhou Higher People’s Court ordered the two companies to pay Bridgestone damages for this design violation, Tyres & Accessories reported.