Invalidity appeal · Board of Appeal · 2025-08-22
R2089/2024-3
Contested design: 006857819-0001
Outcome
The appeal is dismissed, and the invalidity applicant must bear the design holder's costs and fees in the invalidity and appeal proceedings.
Show verbatim operative text(de)
1. Die Beschwerde wird zurückgewiesen. 2. Die Nichtigkeitsantragstellerin trägt die Kosten und Gebühren der Inhaberin des Geschmacksmusters im Nichtigkeits- und Beschwerdeverfahren.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Lidl Österreich GmbHvia PDF extraction
Austria (AT)
Unter der Leiten 11, 5020 Salzburg, Österreich
Holder · RCD owner
Gusta Garden GmbHvia PDF extraction
Austria (AT)
Eschenweg 16, 9551 Bodensdorf, Österreich
Represented by
Prior art cited (19)
Image of a Romberg potato tower shown on a display at Lidl's April 2019 sampling event.
Lidl Ausmusterung April 2019
Plant tower image allegedly published online before 14 March 2017.
discounto.de / Bing image search for 4311536131882 · discounto.de / Microsoft Bing · disclosed 2017-03-14
Paul Potato Starter plant tower offered by the holder.
Amazon listing for 'Paul Potato Starter' · Amazon.de · disclosed 2018-04-15
Behälter für Lebensmittel
RCD No 295803-0003 · EUIPO eSearch plus · disclosed 2005-02-14
Behälter für Lebensmittel
RCD No 295803-0004 · EUIPO eSearch plus · disclosed 2005-02-14
Dreiecksbehälter mit konischen Sicken
DE Design No M9207757-0001 · DPMA · disclosed 1992-12-09
Übertöpfe
DE Design No 402014000199-0001 · DPMA · disclosed 2014-11-12
Übertöpfe
RCD No 726039-0001 · EUIPO eSearch plus · disclosed 2007-05-16
Übertöpfe
RCD No 726039-0002 · EUIPO eSearch plus · disclosed 2007-05-16
Topfhalter
RCD No 604491-0001 · EUIPO eSearch plus · disclosed 2006-10-16
Übertöpfe
RCD No 1910928-0001 · EUIPO eSearch plus · disclosed 2011-09-01
Plant pots
International Design No WO D078049-010 · WIPO Global Design Database · disclosed 2012-08-24
Übertöpfe
DE Design No 402014000199-0001 · DPMA · disclosed 2014-11-12
Einwegbehältnis
DE Design No 40005648-0001 · DPMA · disclosed 2000-07-26
Verpackungen (Dosen)
DE Design No 40300569-0012 · DPMA · disclosed 2003-10-01
Recipient pour nourriture et fourrage
International Design No WO D023177-0001 · WIPO Global Design Database · disclosed 1992-08-31
Emballage pour produits alimentaires pour animaux
International Design No WO D017610-0001 · WIPO Global Design Database · disclosed 1990-11-30
Keter stackable flower-pot plant tower.
Amazon listing for 'Keter 17197973 Ivy Planter Set of 3 Stackable Flower Pots in Plastic' · Amazon
UPP plant tower shown in Google and upp-shop.de screenshots.
UPP Pflanzturm 3er Set Stapelbar Anthrazit · Google search / www.upp-shop.de
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The invalidity applicant argued technical functionality and lack of novelty and individual character based on D1-D19, especially D1, D2, D3 and D4.
- ›The holder denied that D1 and D2 proved prior disclosure, defended the design's aesthetic choices, and maintained that the cited earlier designs created different overall impressions.
- ›The Board held the applicant had not proved D1 or D2 disclosure, accepted D3, D4-D12 and D14-D18 as disclosed, and found Article 8(1) unsupported because the applicant proved no exclusively technical design choices.
- ›The Board found the contested design remained new and possessed individual character over the cited prior art, so the appeal failed and costs were awarded against the invalidity applicant.
Deciding panel
- ChairG. Humphreys Bacon
- RapporteurE. Fink
- MemberA. Pohlmann
- RegistrarK. Zajfert
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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