CAFC Reverses Preliminary Injunction in Ridge Corp. v. Kirk NationaLease Co. Over Claim Construction and Irreparable Harm Issues
The CAFC reversed and remanded a district court's preliminary injunction, ruling that the defendants raised substantial questions of non-infringement regarding three claim limitations of U.S. Patent No. 9,151,084, and that the plaintiff failed to establish irreparable harm.
WISECODE Take
Many business owners believe securing a preliminary injunction guarantees victory, overlooking that a weak claim construction can collapse their defense. In Case No. 25-1254, decided on July 13, 2026, the CAFC reversed a preliminary injunction, reminding us that offensive moves require solid defense. The court found substantial non-infringement questions in U.S. Patent No. 9,151,084, showing that vague claim wording cannot block competitors. We advise conducting rigorous claim stress tests during patent drafting and obtaining solid proof of irreparable harm before suing. Patent claims are the ultimate defensive line on the business battlefield. Zhidian offers Patent Portfolio Health Check services to help you build a solid IP fortress; we suggest consulting and evaluating.
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