Invalidity · first instance · 2019-05-16
000104399
Contested design: 005500071-0001
Outcome
The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld; the contested Community design is declared invalid, and the holders must bear the applicant's costs fixed at EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text(de)
Dem Antrag auf Nichtigerklärung wird stattgegeben. Das eingetragene Gemeinschaftsgeschmacksmuster Nr. 0055000710001 wird für nichtig erklärt. Die Inhaberinnen tragen die Kosten der Antragstellerin, die auf 750 EUR festgesetzt werden.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Zirbenkugel GmbH
Austria (AT)
Swarovskistr. 60, 6112 Wattens, Österreich
Represented by
Franz-Martin Orou
Holder · RCD owner
37Grad GmbH
Austria (AT)
Reitgraben 1a, 6111 Volders, Österreich
Prior art cited (2)
older wooden cube planter design shown on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Gesundheitskissen · Facebook · disclosed 2017-05-01
older design shown in the emotion factory GmbH catalog
Katalog 2009 emotion factory GmbH · emotion factory GmbH
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, relying mainly on a Facebook disclosure of the same wooden cube design dated 1 May 2017.
- ›The applicant also filed a 2009 emotion factory GmbH catalog; the holders filed no observations and left the disclosure evidence uncontested.
- ›The Division accepted the Facebook page as prior public disclosure under Article 7 and found the relevant product sector to be ornamental plant containers.
- ›It held that the contested design created the same overall impression as the earlier design, with any differences in the second view outweighed by the identical cube form and circular top opening.
- ›The invalidity application was upheld in full, the RCD was declared invalid, and the holders were ordered to pay EUR 750 in costs.
Deciding panel
- MemberIngeborg MENDIETA VETTER
- MemberAlvaro SESMA MERINO
- MemberNatascha GALPERIN
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish (en) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| deGerman | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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