On Tuesday, Reebok International Ltd. filed suit against Nike Inc. for infringement of its patent relating to “collapsible shoe” technology. This lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (see also Patently-O link below re: this popular choice of venue), alleges that 11 of Nike’s shoe models, including several of its “Free” shoe products like “Free Trainer” and “Free Trail,” infringe Reebok’s patent. The patent at issue (U.S. Patent No. 7,168,190, entitled “Collapsible Shoe”) issued on January 30, 2007, and includes 13 claims for an “article of footwear” comprising a number of “flexure lines” allowing the shoes to readily flex and curve. According to the patent, the collapsible shoe contains a “flexible sole and upper allows the article of footwear to be rolled, folded or collapsed on itself so that the article of footwear may be easily stored, packed or distributed,” and “may be conveniently sold in areas frequented by those who have left or forgotten athletic shoes while traveling such as airports, train stations, and hotels.” According to the Boston.com article (link below), Nike’s “Free” products account for approximately $100 million in annual sales, and that “Nike likely would suffer no major hit to its sales regardless of the outcome of the patent case.” A quick search of the USPTO website shows that Reebok obtained 16 U.S. patents last year and 3 U.S. patents so far this year.

U.S. Patent No. 7,168,190: LINK
Boston.com Article: LINK
Patently-O Article “Patent Venue and Jurisdiction: Why E.D. Texas?”: LINK