Invalidity · first instance · 2018-11-23
000010734
Contested design: 000009097-0002
Outcome
The invalidity application is rejected, and the applicant must pay the holder’s costs fixed at EUR 400.
Show verbatim operative text
The application for a declaration of invalidity of registered Community design No 000009097-0002 is rejected. The applicant bears the holder’s costs, fixed at EUR 400.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs of €400
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Dinopol Sp. z o.o.
Poland (PL)
ul. Odolanowska 91, 63 400 Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland
Holder · RCD owner
Brødrene Hartmann A/S
Denmark (DK)
Ørnegårdsvej 18, 2820 Gentofte, Denmark
Represented by
Prior art cited (14)
display package
US 7,665,608 B2 · US patent
display package for articles such as eggs
EP 1 373 100 B1 · European patent
egg package patent
PL 200 629 B1 · Polish patent
Brødrene Hartmann fact sheet for '1x10 imagic® E 9910' egg packaging
https://hartmannazurecdn.azureedge.net · hartmannazurecdn.azureedge.net
summary of market report
Global Egg Packaging Market 2016-2020 · businesswire.com
annual report excerpt
Huhtamaki 2013 Annual Accounts and Directors' Report · Huhtamaki
article 'Huhtamaki’s extensive range of egg packaging solutions'
Poultry Digest, April/May 2010, page 44 · Poultry Digest
Brødrene Hartmann flyer 'Good reasons for using moulded fibre egg packaging'
https://hartmannazurecdn.azureedge.net · hartmannazurecdn.azureedge.net
egg carton data sheets of OMNI-PAC GmbH, Celluloses de la Loire and Huhtamaki
online materials
website page on 'Technical Egg packaging Information'
http://hartmann-packaging.com · hartmann-packaging.com · disclosed 2016-09-14
website page on 'imagic®' egg packaging
http://www.hartmann-packaging.com · hartmann-packaging.com · disclosed 2017-05-23
MOBA packaging producer specifications
Grading-Packing-Processing. Egg packing info and requirements: Grading · MOBA
STAALKAT packaging producer specifications
PD Eggtrays Guidelines · STAALKAT
website page 'NestPack – The premium'
http://www.huhtamaki.com · huhtamaki.com
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›Applicant argued the egg-carton design lacked protection because its essential features were solely dictated by technical function, relying on patents and packaging-machine compatibility requirements.
- ›Holder replied that the overall form had visual individuality, the cited patents did not dictate the exact appearance, and the same functions could be achieved through different designs.
- ›The Division found the evidence showed egg-carton producers also compete through shape and appearance, so the contested design’s features were not shown to be chosen only for technical reasons.
- ›It also found machine specifications left room for different packaging shapes; the invalidity application was therefore rejected and costs were awarded against the applicant.
Deciding panel
- MemberGailė SAKALAITĖ
- MemberLudmila ČELIŠOVÁ
- MemberBirgit FILTENBORG
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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