Orbit Irrigation Products Inc. announced Tuesday that it has won a four-year patent battle against L.R. Nelson Corp. of Peoria, Ill.
The patent involved an insulated ergonomic hose nozzle. Nelson sued North Salt Lake-based Orbit first in 2001 for patent infringement. A U.S. District Court invalidated its patent in March 2004. Nelson appealed and subsequently lost that appeal in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
Orbit said it settled with Nelson on Sept. 30 for an undisclosed amount, and Nelson issued an apology this week for "any inconvenience it has caused Orbit as a result of its assertion of patent protection on this item and acknowledges Orbit's right to sell this product uninhibited."