Tokyo District Court, 2022 (Wa) 2049 [Packaging Container] <Sugiura>
Updated: 6 hours ago
Article information
Article type: Case note
Category: Patents
Topics: —
First published on this website: 2026-11-01
Display and classification checked: November 2, 2026
Originally published on Ameblo: 2024-07-29 (Japan time). Full English translation.
Tokyo District Court, 2022 (Wa) 2049 [Packaging Container] <Sugiura>
*Based on the dictionary meaning and the specification, “bottom panels forming said bottom portion” was narrowly construed to mean members closing the underside of the tubular packaging container.
The plaintiff argued that the bottom portion's shape-retaining function should be considered, but this was rejected because it was not described in the specification.
⇒ Claim limitation not satisfied
(Excerpt from the court's reasoning)
“Bottom portion” means the portion constituting the “bottom,” while “bottom” has meanings including “(1) the lower part of a hollow object or container,” and “(2) the underside of an object; bottom surface; also the lower layers of accumulated material” (Exhibit Otsu 1). Thus, the “bottom portion” in Invention 1 is something that the tubular portion of the “packaging container” has together with an opening, and is understood as the “lower part,” namely the bottom, of the tubular structural portion. Moreover, insofar as the tubular structural portion functions as a “container” (a vessel for holding things; a receptacle), its “bottom portion” is understood to refer to the portion closing the underside of the tubular packaging container. …
The specification likewise indicates that the “bottom portion” is at the lower end of the enclosing portion constituting the tubular portion of the packaging container, forms the packaging container together with the upper opening, and is the bottom of the tubular structural portion functioning as a container; it is understood to refer to the portion closing the underside of the tubular packaging container. The “bottom panels” form such a “bottom portion” and are understood to mean members closing the underside of the tubular packaging container when it is formed into a container.
Update history
The first-published date remains unchanged. Display maintenance, classification changes, related-article updates, and text corrections are recorded separately.
November 1, 2026: First published on this website.
November 2, 2026: Added article information, classification, topics, language navigation, related articles where the same case was confirmed, consultation guidance, and SEO. The original text and first-published date were preserved.
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