3M and Batteries.com reach agreement

3M and Batteries.com have reached settlement of a patent dispute involving lithium ion batteries in the Minnesota District Court and the International Trade Commission.

As part of the settlement, Batteries.com acknowledged the validity and infringement of 3M’s patent rights to lithium ion battery technology.

Batteries.com is an internet-based retailer of replacement batteries for many consumer electronic items. Batteries.com has agreed to sell lithium ion laptop batteries containing cells manufactured by a licensed source of 3M’s patented lithium ion battery technology, and to discontinue sales of infringing lithium ion batteries. The remaining terms of the settlement are confidential.

3M believe its cathode materials containing nickel, manganese and cobalt are an important technology for current and next generation lithium ion batteries. Over the past decade, 3M says its has invested significant resources in design, development and commercialisation of advanced material technologies for lithium ion battery applications.

Lithium ion batteries are a preferred source of power for laptop computers, mobile phones and portable electronic devices, and are an emerging source of power for battery-powered hand tools. In addition, 3M foresee a promising future for its lithium-ion technology in transport applications such as hybrid electric vehicles.