E. MISHAN & SONS, INC (T/A EMSON) v HOZELOCK LTD

Abstract

Patents – European Patents – Expandable garden hoses – Infringement – Validity – Person skilled in the art – Common general knowledge – Construction – Whether tubes “unattached” between “couplers” – Meaning of “non-elastic” – Equivalents – Obviousness – Prior user – Inventor working in front garden – Whether what was visible was made available to the public – Commercial success – Burden of proof – Priority – “Formstein” defences