substantial equivalent
Defined in 1 dictionary — Case Law
Definitions from Case Law
From 280 U.S. 30 - Sanitary Refrigerator Co. v. Winters · 1929Most cited · 1,185 citing opinions
The substantial equivalent of a thing, in the sense of the patent law, is the same as the thing itself; so that if two devices do the same work in substantially the same way, and accomplish substantially the same result, they are the same, even though they differ in name, form, or shape.