Nidec Files Lawsuit against Victor Company of Japan for Patent Infring

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors/Legal Editors

    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 15, 2005--On Tuesday, February 15, 2005, Nidec Corporation ("Nidec") filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against Victor Company of Japan, Limited and its subsidiary, JVC Components (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and their sales agents, Kabushiki Kaisha Agilis and Agilis Technology Inc. (collectively "JVC"), charging them with infringing its U.S. Patent Nos. 5,667,309, 6,554,476, 6,343,877 and 6,793,394. The four patents cover Nidec's fluid dynamic bearing technology used in spindle motors found in computer hard disc drives. JVC has supplied and continues to supply spindle motors to hard disc drive manufacturers without a license under these patents. Nidec respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects others to do the same. Nidec thus brought this action to prevent JVC from selling, distributing or importing infringing spindle motors in the United States, and from selling or distributing such motors for incorporation into hard disc drives sold, distributed or imported in the United States. In addition, Nidec seeks compensatory damages for JVC's infringement, as well as treble damages for willful infringement and recovery of Nidec's attorneys fees, as permitted under United States Patent law.

--30--BS/ny*

CONTACT: Nidec New York Office Masahiro Nagayasu, 212-703-7988 masahiro.nagayasu@nidec.com

KEYWORD: NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE LEGAL/LAW SOFTWARE SOURCE: Nidec Corporation

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