A U.S. administrative tribunal has invalidated two claims in a R.J. Reynolds vaping patent, reports Law360.
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board said on June 30 that two claims in U.S. Patent No. 9,814,268, which covers “a tobacco-containing, electrically-powered smoking article” designed to burn a minimal amount of tobacco, can’t stand because they are obvious in light of previous e-cigarette patents.
The ruling represents a second win for Philip Morris Products after a Virginia federal jury awarded it more than $10 million last month in drawn-out clash between the tobacco giants.