Kennametal Inc v Pramet Tools SRO & Anor [2014] EWHC 565 (Pat)
This was a patent infringement and validity action concerning inserts for milling cutter tools. The Court held that there was no infringement and that, in any event, the patent was invalid in light of the prior art.
The cutting inserts in question were very small: an exhaustive analysis of experimental data was required to determine infringement. The Judge held obiter dicta that had infringement been made out, the knowledge requirement of s.60(2) Patents Act 1977 would also have been satisfied as it was only concerned with the use to which the means supplied were to be put and not with knowledge of the features of the means themselves.
Iain Purvis QC and Kathryn Pickard appeared for the Defendants. Henry Carr QC was sitting as the Deputy High Court Judge.