Invalidity appeal · Board of Appeal · 2019-01-16
R0867/2017-3
Contested design: 003023712-0014
Outcome
1. The appeal is dismissed. 2. The invalidity applicant is ordered to bear the costs of the holder.
Show verbatim operative text(es)
1. Desestimar el recurso. 2. Ordenar que la solicitante de nulidad sufrague las costas de la titular.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
FABULOUS CIPHER, LDA.via PDF extraction
Portugal (PT)
Rua da Mabor, 104, Braga- Vilanova de Famalicâo - Lousado, 4760 813 Lousado, Portugal
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
PARFOIS - BARATA & RAMILO, S.A.via PDF extraction
Portugal (PT)
Rua do Sistelo, 755 - Lugar de Santegãos, 4435-429 Rio Tinto, Portugal
Represented by
Prior art cited (12)
Model 'Estantería modular' (modular shelving component), published May 2012
www.grupocrisol.com · grupocrisol.com · disclosed 2012-05-01
Model 'Torre expositora' (display tower), published February 2015
www.adpstore.com.au · adpstore.com.au · disclosed 2015-02-01
Model 'Fermos 1' (16-arm hanger), published October 2008
www.fermos.com · fermos.com · disclosed 2008-10-01
Model 'Fermos 2' (two-arm hanger), published October 2008
www.fermos.com · fermos.com · disclosed 2008-10-01
Registered design China, 18 March 2015
CN 2015 30 065 583.1 · China National Intellectual Property Administration · disclosed 2015-03-18
Registered design China, 20 June 2012
CN 2012 30 264 234.9 · China National Intellectual Property Administration · disclosed 2012-06-20
Registered design China, 20 June 2012
CN 2012 30 264 224.5 · China National Intellectual Property Administration · disclosed 2012-06-20
Registered design Romania, 18 December 2007
RO 2007 0672-0001 · Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks · disclosed 2007-12-18
Model 'Hunan' display rack, published 13 April 2014
www.hnzhongchu.com · hnzhongchu.com · disclosed 2014-04-13
Model 'JDZJ' display rack, published 17 March 2013
www.JDZJ.com · JDZJ.com · disclosed 2013-03-17
Model 'Grand' display rack, published 3 August 2015
www.grand-benedicts.com · grand-benedicts.com · disclosed 2015-08-03
Model 'Denizli' display rack, published 13 August 2015
www.denizligrup.com · denizligrup.com · disclosed 2015-08-13
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The invalidity applicant (Fabulous Cipher) appealed the dismissal of its invalidity application against a sales display hanger RCD (003 023 712-0014), arguing the contested design lacks individual character over prior hanger/display stand models; four additional models (Hunan, JDZJ, Grand, Denizli) were introduced at appeal stage; the applicant also challenged the exclusion of 'Fermos 1' and 'Fermos 2' for insufficient disclosure proof.
- ›The holder (Parfois) opposed admission of the four new prior art models as inadmissible at appeal stage and argued that differences in base design, number and arrangement of arms, and overall configuration produce distinct overall impressions.
- ›The Board admitted Fermos 1 (16-arm hanger, disclosure proved via online catalogue printout) but excluded Fermos 2 (disclosure not sufficiently proved) and the four new appeal-stage models. Comparing the RCD against each admitted prior design, the Board found systematic structural differences (T-shaped vs X/cross-shaped base, single vs multiple uprights, bidirectional vs multidirectional arms) produce clearly distinct overall impressions.
- ›The appeal was dismissed; none of the assessed prior designs destroys the individual character of the contested RCD; costs borne by the invalidity applicant.
Deciding panel
- ChairTh. M. Margellos
- RapporteurC. Rusconi
- MemberG. Humphreys
- RegistrarH. Dijkema
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish (en) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| frfrançais (fr) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| ititaliano (it) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| esSpanish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |