Starbucks Alleged to Infringe French Press Coffeemaker Patent

A Starbucks Corp. business partner is suing the coffee chain for selling a nearly identical product that allegedly infringes its design and violates their exclusive seller agreement.

Bodum USA Inc. and Pi-Design AG—both named plaintiffs—say Starbucks is offering for sale an opaque French Press coffeemaker with a locking lid nearly identical to its patent called “Plunger-Filter Beverage-Making Machine with a Closable Pouring Opening.”

The accused product infringes at least four claims of US Patent No. 8,695,486 B2 through Starbucks’ production, use, sale, import, and production of the French press at issue, according to the complaint filed Tuesday in the ...