STEVENSVILLE, Md. - Stertil-Koni, a major supplier of heavy-duty lifts to the motorcoach and vehicle maintenance industries, announced that there have been "significant developments" in its fight against a patent infringement lawsuit filed by competitor Gray Manufacturing.

In its response to the suit filed by Gray last year, Stertil-Koni filed a request for re-examination with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the two patents being disputed.

Stertil-Koni says the Patent Office has granted its request for a reexamination of the two patents, which are related to wireless lifting systems.

"The government is acting based upon evidence submitted by Stertil-Koni, that suggests Grays patents are invalid," said Jean DellAmore, Ph.D., president of Stertil-Koni USA.

"The patent examiner looked at Stertil-Konis prior art, predating Grays original June 10, 2002 patent filing, and felt the evidence was compelling enough to call for a reexamination."

Reexamination in a patent case re-opens a patent to new scrutiny by the Patent Office. And, as a result of a detailed investigation by trained examiners, existing claims may be lost or new claims of a narrower scope may be approved.

The next procedure to be undertaken by the Patent Office is to issue an office action stating its findings regarding whether Grays wireless products will continue to be patentable. Until then and throughout any ensuing appeals process, U.S. Patent Law allows the establishment of intervening rights if none of the originally-issued claims are found to be patentable.

Intervening rights protect those who might have -- in good faith -- made, purchased, offered to sell or used a product.

That means Stertil-Koni USA will continue to make, market, distribute and service its own wireless lift products and its distributors will continue to sell and distribute Stertil-Koni wireless lift products.

"We directly or indirectly employ more than 320 American workers and serve the needs of thousands of heavy-duty lift customers across the nation and around the world," DellAmore said. "We simply cant and wont let them down.

"We believe in competitive fair play and contend that we have every right to make our wireless lift products," DellAmore said. "We will continue to vigorously pursue our rights to the fullest extent of the law and we put our full faith and trust in this nations Patent Office to adjudicate this matter in a fair and balanced fashion."