Invalidity appeal · Board of Appeal · 2024-07-08
R1372/2023-3
Contested design: 004156909-0006
Outcome
The appeal is dismissed, and the design holder must bear the costs of the invalidity and appeal proceedings.
Show verbatim operative text(de)
1. Die Beschwerde wird zurückgewiesen. 2. Die GGM-Inhaberin trägt die Kosten des Nichtigkeits- und des Beschwerdeverfahrens.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Crocs, Inc.via PDF extraction
United States (US)
13601 Via Varra, 80020 Broomfield, Vereinigte Staaten
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
HSM Schuhmarketing GmbHvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Werksstr. 15, 45527 Hattingen, Deutschland
Represented by
Marc Barth
Prior art cited (1)
Schuhe
GGM Nr. 2 396 457-0028 · Blatt für Gemeinschaftsgeschmacksmuster · disclosed 2014-02-04
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The design holder argued that clog design freedom was limited, the market was crowded, and the contested design created a different overall impression from D1.
- ›The invalidity applicant replied that design freedom remained broad, market saturation was unproven, and the shared key features meant both designs conveyed the same overall impression.
- ›The Board admitted the additional appeal evidence, found D1 disclosed before the filing date, and assessed the informed user as a relatively attentive user of clogs or similar open shoes.
- ›It held that similarities in shape, perforations, fur-like trim, strap, and rivets outweighed minor differences, so the contested design lacked individual character and the appeal failed.
Deciding panel
- ChairS. Stürmann
- RapporteurA. Pohlmann
- MemberC. Bartos
- RegistrarH. Dijkema
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish (en) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| frfrançais (fr) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| deGerman | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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