Invalidity · first instance · 2018-04-30
000010306
Contested design: 001431829-0004
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must pay the applicants' costs fixed at EUR 1500 in total.
Show verbatim operative text
The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. Registered Community design No 001431829-0004 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the applicants’ costs, fixed at EUR 750 for each applicant, EUR 1500 in total.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €1,500
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Mystic Products Import & Export, SL
Spain (ES)
Carrer Guifre Nº 689, Badalona 08918, Spain
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Tinnus Enterprises, LLC
United States (US)
3429 18th Street, Plano, Texas, United States of America
Represented by
Prior art cited (2)
Article titled 'Bunch O Balloons will revolutionize water fights' about a product filling multiple balloons simultaneously.
www.arstechnica.com · Ars Technica · disclosed 2014-07-27
European patent application showing depictions of the same technical solution for filling multiple balloons at once.
EP 3 005 948 A2 · European patent application · disclosed 2016-04-13
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant argued that every essential feature of the balloon-filling device was solely dictated by technical function, relying on a product article and the holder's European patent application.
- ›The holder contended that the housing, straw lengths, balloon uniformity and rings reflected aesthetic choices producing a neat, simple and appealing appearance for a children's product.
- ›The Division applied Article 8(1) CDR in light of DOCERAM and assessed the design objectively against the surrounding evidence rather than alternative forms alone.
- ›It found no convincing design effort or visual enhancement independent of function; all essential features served the technical solution of filling multiple balloons simultaneously.
- ›The application was upheld, the RCD was declared invalid, and the holder was ordered to bear the applicants' costs.
Deciding panel
- MemberGailė SAKALAITĖ
- MemberLudmila ČELIŠOVÁ
- MemberMichele M. BENEDETTI-ALOISI
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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