Complainants ARPC LLC and Paul N. Unmack, both of Butte, Montana, brought the investigation on U.S. Patent 8,056,360. The Commission instituted the investigation on June 18, 2025, on their complaint as supplemented (90 FR 26066-67).
The Commission found a violation with respect to claims 1, 4, 6, and 10 of the '360 patent. It issued a general exclusion order under section 337(g)(2) and (d)(2)(B) prohibiting entry of covered boiler-protection articles that infringe those claims, and cease and desist orders under section 337(g)(1) against the four Defaulting Respondents: Koofang, RVGIVE, Little Bear Pocket, and VISVIC.
The Commission set a bond of 100 percent of entered value for imported infringing articles during Presidential review and determined that the public interest factors do not preclude the remedial orders. The investigation is terminated. The Commission vote took place on September 21, 2026.
U.S. Patent 8,056,360 covers an absorption-refrigeration protective controller that senses cooling-unit parameters and adjusts heat input when safe limits are exceeded, protecting the absorption cycle from damage when refrigerant circulation ceases.
Earlier in the investigation, the Commission terminated several other named respondents by withdrawal or consent order, and the CALJ entered default against the four respondents later subject to the CDOs. No party petitioned for review of the summary-determination initial determination; the Commission reviewed the economic-prong findings on its own initiative and affirmed, with modifications, the finding that the economic prong is met under section 337(a)(3)(B).
Watch Presidential review of the GEO and CDOs, Customs enforcement of the exclusion order, and any later Commission opinion detailing the domestic-industry modifications.