WASHINGTON (Aug. 22) — The International Trade Commission has voted to open an investigation of whether certain nitrile rubber gloves infringe on the patent of Tillotson Corp.
The Menlo, Ga.-based company filed a complaint with the ITC May 30, alleging that 31 international nitrile glove manufacturers were making gloves using Tillotson´s patented technique without permission.
An ITC news release listed seven companies as subjects of the investigation, including Cardinal Health Inc. in Dublin, Ohio, and its subsidiaries Cardinal Health 200 Inc. in McGaw Park, Ill., and Cardinal Health Malaysia 211 Sdn. Bhd. Other companies listed were Henry Schein Inc., Melville, N.Y.; HSI Gloves Inc., Melville, N.Y.; Latexx Partners Bhd. of Malaysia; and Medtexx Partners Inc., Englewood, N.J.
If the ITC rules in Tillotson´s favor, it will issue an exclusionary order forbidding the sale of the other companies´ nitrile gloves in the U.S. The case has been assigned to Administrative Law Judge Charles E. Bullock, who will schedule and preside over an evidentiary hearing in the case. According to statute, he must set a completion date for the investigation within 45 days of instituting it.