Solus Advanced Materials said on the 26th that the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board found no grounds to invalidate the battery copper foil–related patent challenged by SK Nexilis.
In 2023, Solus Advanced Materials filed a patent infringement suit, saying SK Nexilis had infringed its copper foil technology. In response, SK Nexilis denied the patent's validity and filed an invalidation trial with the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board last year.
The technology whose patent validity was recognized this time controls the grain size and morphology within the copper foil to improve elongation and electrical conductivity.
The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board recognized the patent's novelty and inventiveness and determined there were no grounds for invalidation. As a result, the patent retains its legally valid rights. Whether infringement occurred will be addressed in earnest in the lawsuit.
A Solus Advanced Materials official said, "This decision is an official recognition of Solus Advanced Materials' proprietary technological capabilities and research and development capacity," adding, "We plan to respond thoroughly in the forthcoming substantive patent infringement suit."