Reynolds Seeks Ruling Vuse Doesn’t Infringe VPR Vape Patent (1)

R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. asked a federal court in Delaware for a declaration that four products from its Vuse line of e-cigarettes don’t infringe a VPR Brands LP patent for auto-draw vaporizer technology.

Reynolds, a unit of British American Tobacco Plc, told the US District Court for the District of Delaware Tuesday that VPR “explicitly threatened litigation” over allegations that its Vuse Alto, Solo, Vibe, and Ciro devices infringe US Patent No. 8,205,622.

The patent, which Bloomberg Law estimates will expire in July 2030, relates to e-cigarettes that activate through airflow rather than a manual switch.

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