U.S. Patent and Trademark Office finalizes rejection of central claim in Vitronics vs. Conceptronic patent litigation

Business Wire, April 5, 1995

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 1995--Conceptronic Inc. (NASDAQ: CNCP) announced today that it received notification yesterday from the United States Patent and Trademark Office that claim No. 1 of Vitronics apparatus patent No. 4,833,301 had been rejected after an appeal by Vitronics Corp.

It was the only claim in that patent involved in allegations of infringement against Conceptronic. The rejection is final.

As stated by Garry Prime, Conceptronic chairman and CEO, "We are extremely happy with this ruling since it invalidates the principle element of the Vitronics suit. We remain confident that we do not infringe, and have not infringed on the other Vitronics patent in suit since it addresses methods for mass reflow soldering. Barring other rulings by the court, a trial date for resolution of this last remaining issue is scheduled for June 20, 1995."

Conceptronic Inc. is a leading worldwide supplier of manufacturing equipment to the rapidly growing surface mount circuit manufacturing industry. Conceptronic Inc. designs and manufactures automated forced convection soldering/curing ovens, rework/repair stations and non-CFC batch cleaning systems.

CONTACT: Conceptronic Inc., Portsmouth

Garry Prime or Stephen Dow, 603/431-6262