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COMPLAINT
BROOKLYN ARMED FORCES, LLC and
SPORTSMAN’S GUIDE, LLC f/k/a THE
SPORTSMAN’S GUIDE, INC.,
Defendants
Plaintiff Samtech LLC d/b/a Massif, by its attorneys Zeichner Ellman & Krause LLP, as
and for its complaint against defendants Brooklyn Armed Forces, LLC and Sportsman’s Guide,
LLC f/k/a The Sportsman’s Guide, Inc., alleges, upon information and belief, as follows:
1. This is a civil action for patent infringement of U.S. Design Patent No. D641,137
THE PARTIES
3. Upon information and belief, defendant Brooklyn Armed Forces, LLC (“BAF”) is
a New York limited liability company with a principal place of business in Brooklyn, New York.
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 2 of 7 PageID #: 2
4. Upon information and belief, defendant Sportsman’s Guide, LLC f/k/a The
Sportsman’s Guide, Inc. (“Sportsman’s Guide”) is a Minnesota limited liability company with a
principal place of business in St. Paul, Minnesota. Sportsman’s Guide purchases merchandise
from suppliers located in this judicial district and operates an online business that sells
6. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this patent infringement claim
under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 (federal question), and 28 U.S.C. § 1338 (patent infringement).
have committed acts of patent infringement in this judicial district, and proper under 28 U.S.C. §
1391 because Defendants reside in this judicial district, and a substantial part of the
10. Massif manufactures and sells high performance apparel, including flame-
resistant apparel, to customers that include, but is not limited to, the U.S. military. Massif
11. Massif owns several valuable U.S. patents and other intellectual property. Massif
is the assignee and owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the ‘641 Patent, which the
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 3 of 7 PageID #: 3
United States Patent and Trademark Office issued on July 12, 2011. The ‘641 Patent is a design
patent that covers and protects the ornamental design for a military style jacket.
12. Massif products which incorporate the ‘641 Patent are offered for sale to its
customers in the United States, are commercially successful, and are leading products of their kind
in the market.
13. Massif has complied with the marking requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 287(a).
14. Defendants make, use, sold, sell, and/or offer to sell products variously known as
the “Brooklyn Armed Forces Light Weather Crewman Jacket” (the “Light Weather Jacket”) and
the “Brooklyn Armed Forces Crewman Jacket” (the “Crewman Jacket”) (jointly, the “Accused
Jackets”). Copies of the product pages from the Sportsman’s Guide website for the Light Weather
15. Upon information and belief, Defendants have offered to sell the Accused Jackets
16. Upon information and belief, Defendants have sold the Accused Jackets in this
judicial district and have shipped those products from, within, and into this judicial district.
17. Defendants are not licensed to make, use, sell, or offer to sell products
incorporating the ornamental design for a military style jacket protected by the ‘641 Patent.
18. By letter dated November 14, 2022, sent by certified mail and email, counsel for
Massif notified BAF that its Light Weather Jacket was infringing the ‘641 Patent (the “Notice
Letter”).
3
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 4 of 7 PageID #: 4
19. On November 21, 2022, a response was received from BAF principal John
immediately take the picture down [on the website] and stop selling any of these particular
jackets.” Mr. Panouspoulos also stated that BAF was “not planning to manufacture this style
again.”
20. On January 16, 2023, counsel for Massif sent a follow-up email to BAF because
the relevant web page had not been taken down and no further substantive communication had
21. That same day, Mr. Panousopoulos replied stating, in relevant part, “we stopped
selling or manufacturing the said object and told Sportsmansguide to pull it from the website!”
22. Since that exchange, the web page for the Light Weather Jacket has been
removed, but Defendants began, or continued, making, using, selling, and offering to sell the
Crewman Jacket.
23. Despite receiving multiple notices from Massif that the Accused Jackets infringe
the ‘641 Patent, Defendants continue making, using, selling, and offering to sell the Accused
Jackets and, upon information and belief, will continue to do so unless stopped by this Court.
U.S.C. § 271.
26. Defendants have been, and currently are, directly infringing the ‘641 Patent by
making, using, selling and offering to sell the Accused Jackets in violation of 35 U.S.C. § 271(a).
4
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 5 of 7 PageID #: 5
27. Sportsman’s Guide also infringes the ‘641 Patent by actively inducing
customers to use the Accused Jackets and that customer use directly infringes the ‘641 Patent.
271(b).
28. Sportsman’s Guide has encouraged that infringing customer use even though it
knew (at least after being informed by BAF of the Notice Letter on or before November 21,
2022), or reasonably should have known, that Massif has a patent on the ornamental design for a
29. Unless Defendants are enjoined, they will continue to infringe the ‘641 Patent
30. Massif has been irreparably harmed by Defendants’ infringement. Unless enjoined,
Defendants will continue to irreparably harm Massif. Monetary damages alone cannot compensate
32. No later than November 14, 2022, the date it received the Notice Letter, BAF knew
or had reason to know that Massif owned the rights to the ‘641 Patent and that the Accused Jackets
33. No later than the date when it was informed of the Notice Letter by BAF (November
21, 2022 or earlier), Sportsman’s Guide knew or had reason to know that Massif owned the rights to
the ‘641 Patent and that the Accused Jackets infringed that patent.
34. Defendants nonetheless continued offering to sell and selling the Accused Jackets to
its customers.
5
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 6 of 7 PageID #: 6
35. Massif is entitled to actual damages, including Defendants’ profits realized by its
unlawful activity, applicable interest, and the cost and effort involved in making Massif whole, under
35 U.S.C. § 284.
makes this an exceptional case, entitling Massif to an award of treble damages under 35 U.S.C. §
A. A judgment from this Court that U.S. Design Patent No. D641,137 is valid and
enforceable.
B. A judgment from this Court that Defendants have infringed U.S. Design Patent
No. D641,137.
6
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 7 of 7 PageID #: 7
H. An award to Massif of such other and further relief as the Court deems just and
proper.
7
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 1 of 15 PageID #: 8
EXHIBIT A
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 2 of 15 PageID #: 9
US00D641137S
(21) Appl. No.: 29/365,465 FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment ofa
military style jacket showing the design;
(22) Filed: Jul. 9, 2010 FIG. 2 is a front view of the military style jacket of FIG. 1;
(51) LOC (9) Ch. ieee eeecccececseeeeeseneneeesceeseneenees 02-02 FIG. 3 is a rear view of the military style jacket of FIG. 1;
(52) US. Ch eee csccceecece cae cnaeeneeensesenneeeerete D2/839 FIG. 4 is a left side view of the military style jacket of FIG. 1;
(58) Field of Classification Search ...........0...... D2/828, FIG. 5 is a right side view of the military style jacket of FIG.
D2/839, 830; 2/93, 94, 96, 98 1;
See application file for complete search history. FIG. 6 is a top view of the military style jacket of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the military style jacket of FIG. 1;
(56) References Cited FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the military style jacket
of FIG. 1, as worn;
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of
D58,551 S 8/1921 Dalton a military style jacket showing the design;
D59,502 S 10/1921 Meacham FIG. 10 is a front view of the military style jacket of FIG. 9;
D68,120 S 9/1925 Spencer FIG. 11 is a rear view of the military style jacket of FIG. 9;
D96,079 S 7/1935 Anderson FIG. 12 is a left side view of the military style jacket of FIG.
D243,724 S * 3/1977 Schaefer . D2/839
D306,511 S * 3/1990 Jones ........ D2/839 9;
§,127,106 A * 7/1992 Aldridge occ 2/81 FIG. 13 is a right side view of the military style jacket of FIG.
D353,254 § 12/1994 Welch 9;
D374,329 S * 10/1996 Wilde 0... eee D2/836 FIG. 14 is a top view of the military style jacket of FIG. 9;
D402,424 S$ 12/1998 Jackson FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the military style jacket of FIG. 9;
D431,345 S$ 10/2000 Newkirk, Jr.
D464,790 S 10/2002 Townes et al. and,
6,651,254 BI* 11/2003 FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of the military style jacket
D526,467 S * 8/2006 of FIG. 9, as worn.
7,171,695 B2* 2/2007 The broken lines, shown on the surface of the jacket in FIGS.
D555,878 S * 11/2007
1-16, represent stitching. The broken lines in FIGS. 8 and 16,
(Continued) showing portions of the human form, illustrate the design in
use and form no part of the claim.
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
DE 10261359 Al * 7/2004 1 Claim, 12 Drawing Sheets
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 3 of 15 PageID #: 10
US D641,137 S
Page 2
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2009/0249529 AL* 10/2009 Rodriguez ct al. ues 2/97
7,636,948 Bl 12/2009 Crye et al. 2010/0212061 Al* « 8/2010
8 Luciano
wet ........ ”
D620,231 S * 7/2010 Parker ..ssnnsewee D2/828 2010/0212062 Al* 8/2010 Seguin et al.
D622,937 S * 9/2010 Bay D2/830 —* cited by examiner
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 4 of 15 PageID #: 11
FG. 2
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 6 of 15 PageID #: 13
AG. 3
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 7 of 15 PageID #: 14
FIG.4 FIG. 5
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-1 Filed 02/13/23 Page 8 of 15 PageID #: 15
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Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-2 Filed 02/13/23 Page 1 of 6 PageID #: 23
EXHIBIT B
Access
CaseDate: November 7, 2022Document
1:23-cv-01185 1-2 Filed 02/13/23 Page 2 of 6 PageID #: 24
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© Miltary spec, manufactured by government contractor » Vertical Zip chest pockel. zip side pockets
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This Brooklyn Armed Forces™ Light Weather Crewman Jacket Is based on a design currently worn by U.S military forces during alreraft and armored vehicle activity. Polyester
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crewman's uniform for fast ever when
This Jacket has a slim-fit design for minimal bulk in closely fined vehicte envi Fits easily under other outer layers for combating extreme winter weather.
Brooklyn Armed Forces is an experienced maker of military issue clothing used by the U.S. Armed Forces. In most cases their private labet clothing is made using genuine
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URL: https:/Avww.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/brooklyn-armed-forces-light-weather-crewman-jacket?a=2233278
Case
Access 1:23-cv-01185
Date: November 7, 2022Document 1-2 Filed 02/13/23 Page 3 of 6 PageID #: 25
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This Brooklyn Armed Forces™ Light Weather Crewman Jacket Is based on a design curently worn by U.S military forces during aircraft and armored vehicle activity. Polyester
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Brooklyn Armed Forces is an experienced maker of military issue clothing used by the U.S. Armed Forces. In most cases their private label clothing Is made using genuine
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°
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URL: https://www.sportsmansquide.com/product/index/brooklyn-armed-forces-light-weather-crewman-jacket?a=2233278
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-2 Filed 02/13/23 Page 4 of 6 PageID #: 26
Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-2 Filed 02/13/23 Page 5 of 6 PageID #: 27
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Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-2 Filed 02/13/23 Page 6 of 6 PageID #: 28
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Case 1:23-cv-01185 Document 1-3 Filed 02/13/23 Page 1 of 2 PageID #: 29