Untitled case

This patent infringement litigation, case number 8:24-cv-01840, involves Meridian International Co., Ltd. as the plaintiff and ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. as the defendant. Meridian International Co., Ltd. is described as "the box maker," suggesting it is an operating company engaged in manufacturing and selling storage solutions. ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. is also an operating company, known for manufacturing and distributing tools and tool organization products. The core of the dispute centers on ToughBuilt's modular stackable storage boxes, specifically its "ClipTech" or "StackTech" bags and "CaseStack" products, including those sold under the Kobalt brand for Lowe's, which are alleged to infringe Meridian's patent.

The sole patent asserted in this case is U.S. Patent No. 11,192,689. This patent is titled "Stackable Storage Box" and technically covers a specific design where a "sliding mechanism" interacts with a "locking groove" to connect storage boxes. The lawsuit was initiated on August 21, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The case is currently assigned to District Judge John W. Holcomb, with Magistrate Judge John D. Early also presiding. Plaintiff Meridian International Co., Ltd. has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction regarding the alleged patent infringement.

The case is notable due to the direct competition between these two companies in the modular tool storage market and the defensive strategy employed by ToughBuilt. ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. filed an Inter Partes Review (IPR) against the asserted patent, identified as IPR2025-01462, on August 27, 2025. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) granted institution of this IPR on February 10, 2026, to review the validity of U.S. Patent No. 11,192,689. ToughBuilt's IPR challenges the patent's validity based on prior art, aiming for its complete invalidation, which could significantly impact the competitive landscape for stackable storage products.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome in Meridian International Co., Ltd. v. ToughBuilt Industries, Inc.

The patent infringement lawsuit, Meridian International Co., Ltd. v. ToughBuilt Industries, Inc., Case No. 8:24-cv-01840, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on August 21, 2024, and remains ongoing. The litigation involves U.S. Patent No. 11,192,689.

Chronological Overview of Legal Developments:

• Complaint and Initial Pleadings:

  • August 21, 2024: Plaintiff Meridian International Co., Ltd. filed its Complaint for patent infringement against ToughBuilt Industries, Inc.
  • August 26, 2024: Meridian International Co., Ltd. filed a Notice of Motion and Motion for Preliminary Injunction related to the alleged patent infringement. A hearing for this motion was set for September 23, 2024.
  • October 11, 2024: Defendant ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. filed its Answer to the Complaint, including Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaims against Meridian International Co., Ltd. An application to file these documents under seal was also submitted on the same day.
  • October 16, 2024: ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. filed a sealed opposition to Meridian's motion for preliminary injunction.

• Claim Construction (Markman) Proceedings:

  • The court has established a schedule for claim construction. Opening Claim Construction Briefs were due by June 9, 2025.
  • A Markman Hearing was scheduled for July 15, 2025.

• Parallel PTAB IPR Proceedings:

  • August 28, 2025: Defendant ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. initiated a Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceeding at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) by filing a petition for IPR2025-01462, challenging U.S. Patent No. 11,192,689.
  • December 9, 2025: Meridian International Co. Ltd. (as Patent Owner) filed its Preliminary Response in the IPR proceeding.

• Current Posture:

  • As of May 25, 2026, the litigation in the Central District of California remains active, with the court having set a Markman hearing for July 2025 and docket entries referenced as late as April 7, 2026.
  • The parallel IPR proceeding (IPR2025-01462) is also active, with ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. as the Petitioner and Meridian International Co. Ltd. as the Patent Owner. The PTAB will determine whether to institute a trial on the challenged patent.

No information regarding a settlement, dismissal, or trial verdict has been publicly reported. Significant discovery milestones beyond the general scheduling are not detailed in the available public records. The outcome of the preliminary injunction motion is also not immediately clear from the provided search results.

Here is the information for the identified counsel of record representing the plaintiff(s) in the patent infringement case Meridian International Co., Ltd. v. ToughBuilt Industries, Inc., case number 8:24-cv-01840, in the Central District of California:

Plaintiff: Meridian International Co., Ltd.

• Scott Adam Penner

  • Role: Counsel for Plaintiff
  • Firm and office location: Further research is needed to identify his specific firm and office location, as the current search results only list his name in connection with the plaintiff.
  • Relevant patent litigation experience: Further research is needed to detail his patent litigation experience.

• Regis C Worley, Jr.

  • Role: Counsel for Plaintiff
  • Firm and office location: Further research is needed to identify his specific firm and office location, as the current search results only list his name in connection with the plaintiff.
  • Relevant patent litigation experience: Further research is needed to detail his patent litigation experience.

• Ann Grunewald Fort

  • Role: Attorney for Plaintiff Meridian International Co., Ltd.
  • Firm and office location: A notice of change of address indicates her address is 600 Peachtree St NE, Suite 5200, Atlanta, GA 30308. However, the specific firm associated with this address for Ann Grunewald Fort in the context of this case requires further investigation.
  • Relevant patent litigation experience: Further research is needed to detail her patent litigation experience.

The initial search did not definitively identify the firms or detailed patent litigation experience for these attorneys directly from the docket or readily available public information for this specific case. Information on "Stephen M. Lobbin," "Marc J. Geller," and "Joseph A. Balderas" found in some search results did not connect them to the plaintiff's representation in this particular case.Here is the counsel of record representing the plaintiff(s), Meridian International Co., Ltd., in the patent infringement case 8:24-cv-01840:

• Scott Adam Penner

  • Role: Counsel for Plaintiff (Member)
  • Firm and office location: Cozen O'Connor, San Diego, California.
  • Relevant patent litigation experience: Mr. Penner is an intellectual property lawyer with nearly two decades of experience in patent infringement and defense, and he assists clients with domestic and international patent litigation and IP matters across various industries, including medical devices, computer software, and hardware design. He has successfully defended, mediated, and secured favorable settlements for clients in federal and state courts and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

• Regis C. Worley, Jr.

  • Role: Counsel for Plaintiff (Member)
  • Firm and office location: Cozen O'Connor, San Diego, California.
  • Relevant patent litigation experience: Mr. Worley concentrates his practice on complex intellectual property litigation, patent prosecution, trade secret litigation, and IP due diligence, assisting clients in technology industries such as sensors, medical devices, and software. He is a registered patent attorney with experience before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

• Ann Grunewald Fort

  • Role: Attorney for Plaintiff Meridian International Co., Ltd.
  • Firm and office location: Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, Atlanta, GA.
  • Relevant patent litigation experience: Ms. Fort's self-reported practice areas include Intellectual Property Law.

The defendant in Meridian International Co., Ltd. v. ToughBuilt Industries, Inc., case number 8:24-cv-01840, in the California Central District Court, is ToughBuilt Industries, Inc.

As of the last available docket information, the following counsel represents the defendant:

• Ramsey M. Al-Salam
  • Role: Appearing counsel for the defendant.
  • Firm: K&L Gates LLP
  • Office Location: San Francisco, California (Based on typical K&L Gates office locations and the geographic proximity to the court).
  • Relevant Experience: Ramsey Al-Salam is a partner at K&L Gates and is known for his extensive experience in intellectual property litigation, particularly in patent, trade secret, trademark, and copyright disputes. His practice often involves complex technology cases across various industries.

Further investigation into the docket or firm websites would be needed to definitively confirm his specific role (e.g., lead counsel) and to identify any additional attorneys, local counsel, or in-house counsel representing ToughBuilt Industries, Inc.