A California judge has issued an injunction banning sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet at the request of Apple Inc., which says Samsung violated its patents.

The preliminary injunction bars Samsung from making or selling their Tab 10.1 tablet, which Apple claims violates its design patent for the front, back and sides of the iPad, in the United States.

The ruling is the latest action in an ongoing legal battle between Apple and the South Korean technology giant, which has grown to 30 legal cases between the companies over design and technology patents in 10 different countries.

The ruling is unlikely to significantly impact Samsung's earnings, analysts said.

"Tablets are not Samsung's key product anyway so the latest ruling won't likely have any significant impact on Samsung's earnings," Lee Seung-woo, an analyst at IBK Securities, told the Los Angeles Times.

Apple has been granted similar injunctions in other countries, including Australia and Germany, forcing Samsung to redesign its device for those markets.

Samsung expressed disappointment at the injunction.

"We will continue to take all available measures, including legal action, to ensure continued consumer access to our innovative products," the company said in a statement. (c) UPI