The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled April 7 to prohibit importation of the ZF FreedomLine transmission manufactured and marketed by ZF Friedrichshafen AG, ArvinMeritor and ZF Meritor LLC on the grounds it infringes an Eaton patent. The ITC also issued a cease-and-desist order prohibiting the sale of the automated mechanical transmissions in the United States by ArvinMeritor. The orders permit the importation or sale of service parts for transmissions imported or sold in the United States before April 7, 2005. The order is subject to presidential review until June 7. The ITC accepted only one of 76 patent infringement claims Eaton filed.
