The parties and the patent
The case is BFFL, LLC v. The Marena Group, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-05881 (N.D. Ga.), a jury demand. The complaint says Chabner owns the patent and BFFL is the exclusive licensee with the right to enforce. BFFL was founded by Dr. Elizabeth Chabner Thompson, the named inventor. Marena is pleaded as a Georgia limited liability company that sells post-surgery bras.
U.S. Patent 10,681,942, titled Reconfigurable Post-Surgery Brassiere, issued June 16, 2020. Claim 1 covers a post-surgery brassiere with two breast cups, a back band coupling to the cups, first and second shoulder straps, an aperture along a side aligned with a wearer's axilla when in use, at least two catches with a minimum of one catch near the bottom of each breast cup, and at least two ring assemblies that detachably couple to the catches so each catch can couple a collection bulb to the brassiere.
What the complaint alleges
The complaint alleges direct infringement under 35 U.S.C. 271(a) of claims 1, 3-11, 13-17, 19-23, and 25-27. Accused products include Marena's consumer and hospital-only B19 bras, Caress Ultra-Soft Drain Bulb Management bras CAR-HB01-DBM and CAR-HB02-DBM, and Caress Pocketed Drain Bulb Management bras CAR-B19-01, CAR-B19-10, and CAR-B19-11. Claim charts for exemplary claims 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, and 11 are Exhibit B. The complaint says BFFL marked under 35 U.S.C. 287 and that Marena had notice. Ownership from USPTO assignment records was not checked beyond the complaint's ownership allegations.
What to watch next
Watch for Marena's answer, any design-around argument on the detachable ring assemblies, and whether related Marena patent filings surface.