MINNEAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) – Nifty Home Products, Inc., a kitchen accessory designer and retailer, sued Big Lots Stores, Inc. on Dec. 12 over allegations of patent infringement.

Nifty alleges that the retail chain is selling a coffee pod carousel and a coffee pod drawer that infringe on two of the company’s patents registered with the U.S. Patent Office. Big Lots is selling the products under the Great Gatherings trademark. The packaging indicates that the products are imported by the chain from China, the suit says.