A Patent Dispute
A U.S.-based firm commercializing its flat-panel device dismantling system has proceeded to take legal action intended to nullify a patent belonging to a competitor.
Peregrine Technologies, a business based in Ireland, has brought a legal case against the University of Limerick (UL). This comes after UL was granted a patent in 2016 and saw it renewed late last year. The suit claims that the patent is invalid, due to its lack of novelty and failure to demonstrate an inventive step. FPD Recycling, a subsidiary of Peregrine Technologies, is spearheading the lawsuit.
The University of Limerick has become embroiled between two warring firms, FPD Recycling and Votechnik, with the former actually located on campus. A legal battle has ensued, with FPD Recycling taking the university to court.
FPD Pro Technology
FPD Recycling has developed a robotic system called FPD Pro, which is designed to take apart and remove any toxic elements from discarded flat-screen displays. This groundbreaking technology has recently been implemented in the U.S., at eLoop in Pennsylvania, an e-scrap processor.
The Examiner reported that a patent held by UL, has been exclusively licensed to ALR Innovations, which does business as Votechnik. In a letter sent to FPD Recycling, Votechnik accused the firm of infringing on the patent for its FPD Pro system. However, FPD Recycling denies this accusation.
A Complex History
All three entities, two companies and one university, have a longstanding relationship. Paudy O’Brien, CEO and co-founder of FPD Recycling, is a prior executive director of Votechnik Technologies, which was created by UL. At 2018’s E-Scrap Conference, he delivered an address while still in his role at Votechnik.
Votechnik was established under the leadership of Lisa O’Donoghue, a former Ph.D scientist at UL. The company has recently reached out to North American e-scrap industry stakeholders in hopes of partnering with a U.S recycling firm for a one-year trial of its robot, the ALR4000. This innovative machine is Votechnik’s fourth iteration and there is currently a demonstration site in Ireland where it can be viewed in action.
ReVolv Initiative
The Irish Environmental Protection Agency and an EU-funded project called ReVolv have jointly invested in Votechnik and FPD Recycling, which is based at the University of Limerick. This initiative will not only benefit the economic process of recycling LCD products, but will also enhance the wellbeing and safety of those working in this sector. ReVolv gave an earlier version of Votechnik’s system crucial support.
As explained by KMK Metals Recycling, WEEE Ireland’s waste treatment contractor, “LCDs and fluorescent tubes in flat-screen devices contain chemicals that could leach into the environment if the discarded TVs are not properly treated. Manual disassembly and removal of mercury- containing fluorescent tubes is laborious, time-consuming process and inefficient.”
Last autumn, the European Innovation Accelerator (EIC), a division of the European Commission, gave FPD Recycling 17.7 million euros (roughly $18.9 million). This generous allocation was intended to assist with expansion overseas, employee recruitment, and improvements to existing facilities, according to both the Examiner and EU sources.
“This project, developed by a consortium of researchers, recyclers and engineers, aimed to solve the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) stockpiling issue in Europe.”
Last fall, the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) funded by the Irish government allocated 3.7 million euros (approximately $4 million) to a project concerning waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Peregrine Technologies was involved, with UL taking on the leadership role for this venture.
