{"id":2542,"date":"2021-09-15T07:23:31","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T07:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/i4f.com\/?post_type=article&#038;p=2542"},"modified":"2021-09-15T07:23:32","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T07:23:32","slug":"i4f-and-happy-feet-settle-potential-us-lawsuit-out-of-court-on-rigid-vinyl-spc-stone-elegance-branded-products","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/i4f.com\/fr\/article\/i4f-and-happy-feet-settle-potential-us-lawsuit-out-of-court-on-rigid-vinyl-spc-stone-elegance-branded-products\/","title":{"rendered":"i4F and Happy Feet settle potential US lawsuit out of court on rigid vinyl SPC \u201cStone Elegance\u201d branded products"},"content":{"rendered":"        <section class=\"block hero-news article\" id=\"block_60d1e7cdee7a2\">\n              <div class=\"hero-content\">\n                <div class=\"overlay\"><\/div>\n                <div class=\"container\">\n                  <div class=\"row\">\n                    <div class=\"col-xl-6 offset-xl-3\">\n                      <div class=\"hero-body\">\n                        <p><a href=\"https:\/\/i4f.com\/fr\/news\/\" class=\"more\">Voir toutes les actualit\u00e9s<\/a><\/p>\n                        <p class=\"date\">Sep 15, 2021<\/p>\n                        <h1 class=\"h4\">i4F and Happy Feet settle potential US lawsuit out of court on rigid vinyl SPC \u201cStone Elegance\u201d branded products<\/h1>\n                      <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                  <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n              <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"block text half\" id=\"block_60d1e7cdee7a3\">\n          <div class=\"container\">\n  <div class=\"row\">\n    <div class=\"col-md-3 order-md-2\">\n          <div class=\"share-links\">\n            <h6>Share<\/h6>\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi4f.com%2Ffr%2Farticle%2Fi4f-and-happy-feet-settle-potential-us-lawsuit-out-of-court-on-rigid-vinyl-spc-stone-elegance-branded-products%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"40\" height=\"40\" viewBox=\"0 0 40 40\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<circle cx=\"20\" cy=\"20\" r=\"20\" fill=\"#B2D0E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M25 10H22C20.6739 10 19.4021 10.5268 18.4645 11.4645C17.5268 12.4021 17 13.6739 17 15V18H14V22H17V30H21V22H24L25 18H21V15C21 14.7348 21.1054 14.4804 21.2929 14.2929C21.4804 14.1054 21.7348 14 22 14H25V10Z\" fill=\"#304757\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?source=tweetbutton&amp;text=i4F%20and%20Happy%20Feet%20settle%20potential%20US%20lawsuit%20out%20of%20court%20on%20rigid%20vinyl%20SPC%20%E2%80%9CStone%20Elegance%E2%80%9D%20branded%20products&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fi4f.com%2Ffr%2Farticle%2Fi4f-and-happy-feet-settle-potential-us-lawsuit-out-of-court-on-rigid-vinyl-spc-stone-elegance-branded-products%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"40\" height=\"40\" viewBox=\"0 0 40 40\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<circle cx=\"20\" cy=\"20\" r=\"20\" fill=\"#B2D0E7\"\/>\n<path d=\"M31 12.0003C30.0424 12.6758 28.9821 13.1924 27.86 13.5303C27.2577 12.8378 26.4573 12.347 25.567 12.1242C24.6767 11.9015 23.7395 11.9575 22.8821 12.2847C22.0247 12.612 21.2884 13.1947 20.773 13.954C20.2575 14.7133 19.9877 15.6126 20 16.5303V17.5303C18.2426 17.5759 16.5013 17.1861 14.931 16.3957C13.3607 15.6054 12.0103 14.4389 11 13.0003C11 13.0003 7 22.0003 16 26.0003C13.9405 27.3983 11.4872 28.0992 9 28.0003C18 33.0003 29 28.0003 29 16.5003C28.9991 16.2217 28.9723 15.9439 28.92 15.6703C29.9406 14.6638 30.6608 13.393 31 12.0003Z\" fill=\"#304757\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi4f.com%2Ffr%2Farticle%2Fi4f-and-happy-feet-settle-potential-us-lawsuit-out-of-court-on-rigid-vinyl-spc-stone-elegance-branded-products%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><svg width=\"41\" height=\"41\" viewBox=\"0 0 41 41\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<circle cx=\"20.1797\" cy=\"20.5\" r=\"20\" fill=\"#B2D0E7\"\/>\n<path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M14.8414 30.049V16.8066H10.4399V30.049H14.8414ZM12.6406 14.9986C14.1755 14.9986 15.1309 13.9817 15.1309 12.7109C15.1023 11.4115 14.1755 10.4228 12.6697 10.4228C11.1641 10.4228 10.1797 11.4115 10.1797 12.7109C10.1797 13.9817 11.1348 14.9986 12.6119 14.9986H12.6405H12.6406Z\" fill=\"#304757\"\/>\n<path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M17.2773 30.049H21.6788V22.6539C21.6788 22.2581 21.7074 21.8627 21.8237 21.5798C22.1418 20.789 22.8661 19.97 24.082 19.97C25.6747 19.97 26.3118 21.1844 26.3118 22.9646V30.049H30.713V22.456C30.713 18.3885 28.5415 16.4958 25.6456 16.4958C23.2711 16.4958 22.2287 17.8231 21.6496 18.7271H21.679V16.8066H17.2775C17.3352 18.0492 17.2775 30.049 17.2775 30.049H17.2773Z\" fill=\"#304757\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/a><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"col-md-6 offset-md-3 order-md-1\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>New protection covers all new materials, including LVT, SPC and EPC products, with locking<\/em><\/li><li><em>More freedom to operate on new material products featuring i4F locking technologies<\/em><\/li><li><em>Unlicensed products using i4F drop-lock technologies exposed as part of its US sweep program<\/em><\/li><li><em>Happy Feet commits to labeling all products using i4F technologies with L2C holographic labels<\/em><\/li><li><em>i4F further strengthens patent protection for licensees and partners via vigorous enforcement<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>HAMONT, BELGIUM \u2013 i4F\u00ae, a group of companies providing patents and technologies to the flooring industry, today announced an out of court settlement following i4F\u2019s complaint with a view to civil action served on US distributor Happy Feet International. The parties settled for an undisclosed amount, and a&nbsp;commitment from Happy Feet ensuring that all future products using i4F locking technologies will feature an L2C holographic label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>i4F discovered the unlicensed products as part of its on-going enforcement program designed to ensure all i4F technologies, including 3L Triplelock and Click4U, as well as those it represents on behalf of its partners, are not infringed upon, or used without the appropriate license agreement. This on-going enforcement program also ensures that i4F licensees remain first in line with accessibility to the most advanced industry innovations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During its US-wide retailer\/distributor sweep, i4F discovered the \u201cStone Elegance\u201d collection of rigid vinyl SPC panels, produced by Wonderful Flooring, was on sale in Brookside Lumber Store without the required license. In March 2021, i4F notified Happy Feet that it was aware that Happy Feet was distributing Stone Elegance products using i4F\u2019s proprietary locking technologies not carrying the i4F label.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The out of court settlement has avoided further litigation.&nbsp;i4F continues to do everything in its power to safeguard its licensees, patents and technologies around the world by implementing a patent strategy providing licensees with transparency and flexibility, a strong and broad scope of patent protection as well as vigorous enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"block file-list\">\n    <p><a href=\"https:\/\/i4f.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/09\/15092021-i4f-News-Release-Happy-Feet.pdf\" class=\"more\" target=\"blank\">ENGLISH VERSION<\/a><\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"https:\/\/i4f.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CN15092021-i4f-News-Release-Happy-Feet.pdf\" class=\"more\" target=\"blank\">CHINESE VERSION<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"block news feed latest\" id=\"block_60d1e7cdee7a4\">\n          <div class=\"container\">\n            <h6 class=\"title text-center\">Derni\u00e8res actualit\u00e9s<\/h6>\n            <div class=\"row pb-5\">\n              <div class=\"col-md-4\">\n                <p class=\"date\">Mar 31, 2026<\/p>\n                <p>i4F and Unilin Technologies\u00a0enter into non\u2011assert agreement on water\u2011repellent coating patents for laminate and wood flooring<\/p>\n                <p><a href=\"https:\/\/i4f.com\/fr\/article\/i4f-and-unilin-technologies-enter-into-non%e2%80%91assert-agreement-on-water%e2%80%91repellent-coating-patents-for-laminate-and-wood-flooring\/\" class=\"more\">Lire l\u2019article<\/a><\/p>\n              <\/div>\n              <div class=\"col-md-4\">\n                <p class=\"date\">Mar 25, 2026<\/p>\n                <p>Parkett Magazin &#8211; i4F: John Rietveldt in an interview of the month<\/p>\n                <p><a href=\"https:\/\/i4f.com\/fr\/article\/parkett-magazin-i4f-john-rietveldt-in-an-interview-of-the-month\/\" class=\"more\">Lire l\u2019article<\/a><\/p>\n              <\/div>\n              <div class=\"col-md-4\">\n                <p class=\"date\">Jan 27, 2026<\/p>\n                <p>Lioncore selects i4F as exclusive licensor for its new patented L-SPC lightweight rigid core product build-up and composition<\/p>\n                <p><a href=\"https:\/\/i4f.com\/fr\/article\/lioncore-selects-i4f-as-exclusive-licensor-for-its-new-patented-l-spc-lightweight-rigid-core-product-build-up-and-composition\/\" class=\"more\">Lire l\u2019article<\/a><\/p>\n              <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <p class=\"text-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i4f.com\/fr\/news\/\" class=\"btn btn-outline-secondary\">Voir toutes les actualit\u00e9s<\/a><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        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