Invalidity appeal · Board of Appeal · 2026-03-02
R0759/2025-3
Contested design: 001313878-0009
Outcome
1. The appeal is dismissed. 2. The applicant bears the holder's costs in the invalidity and appeal proceedings.
Show verbatim operative text(de)
1. Die Beschwerde wird zurückgewiesen. 2. Der Antragsteller trägt die Kosten der Inhaberin im Nichtigkeits- und Beschwerdeverfahren.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Matthias Josef Wintervia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Mainz, Deutschland
Holder · RCD owner
Best on Bolt GmbHvia PDF extraction
Austria (AT)
Neumarkt im Tauchental, Österreich
Represented by
Prior art cited (10)
Ringsicherungsscheibe (ring locking washer)
www.best-on-bolt.com (archived 03.02.2011) · www.best-on-bolt.com · disclosed 2011-02-03
Ringsicherungsscheibe (ring locking washer, second design variant)
www.best-on-bolt.com (archived 03.02.2011) · www.best-on-bolt.com · disclosed 2011-02-03
Ringsicherungsscheibe (ring locking washer, digital CAD model)
www.best-on-bolt.com (archived 03.02.2011) · www.best-on-bolt.com · disclosed 2011-02-03
Ringsicherungsscheibe (ring locking washer, fourth design variant with outwardly convex ring)
www.best-on-bolt.com (archived 03.02.2011) · www.best-on-bolt.com · disclosed 2011-02-03
Schraubensicherung mit radial verlaufenden dicht nebeneinander angeordneten Rippen (screw locking element with radially arranged ribs)
DE 2610401 A1 · DPMA (German Patent Office)
A method and a plant for washer production and a washer
WO2011/133090 A1 · WIPO/PCT · disclosed 2011-10-27
A method and a device for the manufacturing of washers for locking and washer for locking
WO2009/041906 A1 · WIPO/PCT · disclosed 2009-04-02
Retaining element for blocking screw elements
WO2005/024253 A1 · WIPO/PCT · disclosed 2005-03-17
Prior design figure from WIP-08 (WO2005/024253 A1), cited on appeal as additional prior design
Prior design figure from WIP-08 (WO2005/024253 A1), cited on appeal as additional prior design
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›Applicant (appellant) sought invalidity of RCD No. 1313878-0009 (ring locking washer) for lack of novelty and individual character over prior designs D1–D4 disclosed on the holder's own website in February 2011; also argued the washer is a component of a complex product so only the visible side view should be assessed for individual character.
- ›Holder (respondent) opposed admission of late-filed evidence WIP-05–WIP-08 as inadmissible, defended the design's individual character based on distinct radially arranged serrations protruding beyond the ring, cylindrical ring with chamfered edges, a chiseled side profile, and green/dark-grey color combination absent from the prior art.
- ›Board admitted WIP-05–WIP-08 as supporting evidence on discretionary grounds under Article 63(2) GGV; rejected D5 and D6 as inadmissible new prior designs extending the invalidity application scope; confirmed the washer is not a component of a complex product; applied CDR (GGV/Reg 6/2002) substantively.
- ›Board upheld individual character: the contested RCD's radially arranged serrations protruding beyond the ring edges, chamfered ring edges, and green/dark-grey color create a different overall impression from each of D1–D4 in the eyes of the informed user; applicant's Article 8(1) exclusion argument rejected for failure to prove the serration arrangement was solely dictated by technical function.
- ›Appeal dismissed; contested RCD No. 1313878-0009 confirmed valid; applicant ordered to bear the holder's costs for both the invalidity and appeal proceedings.
Deciding panel
- ChairG. Humphreys Bacon
- RapporteurE. Fink
- MemberC. Bartos
- 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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