New Breed of Patent Claim Bedevils Product Makers

” Raymond E. Stauffer was shopping at a New Jersey mall when he
noticed something peculiar about the bow ties on display at Brooks
Brothers: They were labeled with old patent numbers.

“Mr. Stauffer, who calls himself a “sharp-dressed man,” also
happens to be a patent lawyer. He sued Brooks Brothers Inc. in
federal court, claiming it broke the law by marking its adjustable
bow ties with patents that expired in the 1950s.

“He figured the retailer would have to pay a nominal amount for
violating a law that bars companies from marking products with
erroneous patent numbers.”

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