Invalidity · first instance · 2019-07-10
000010832
Contested design: 002459701-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must pay the applicant's costs fixed at EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text
The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. Registered Community design No 002459701-0001 is declared invalid. The holder bears the applicant’s costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Mattel, Inc.
United States (US)
333 Continental Boulevard, El Segundo, California 90245-5012, United States of America
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Jieyang Defa Industry Co., Ltd.via PDF extraction
China (CN)
Deqiao Industry Zone, Xihe Yuecheng, Jiedong, Jieyang, Guangdong 515543, People’s Republic of China
Represented by
Prior art cited (2)
holder's “Defa Doll” / “Lucy” doll head
use in trade in Europe
applicant's “Barbie CEO Sculpture” doll head
Mattel catalogues from Italy, the Netherlands, France and Poland
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, relying on Defa Doll D1 and Barbie CEO Sculpture D2 disclosed before the priority date.
- ›The holder denied disclosure of D1, argued limited design freedom for fashion-doll heads, and maintained that the contested head differed from both prior designs.
- ›The Division accepted the catalogue evidence for D2 as a valid prior disclosure and found substantial designer freedom apart from the need to resemble a human head.
- ›It held that the contested doll's head produced the same overall impression as D2, so the RCD lacked individual character and had to be invalidated.
Deciding panel
- MemberNatascha GALPERIN
- MemberBenjamin VAN BAVEL
- MemberMichelle Marie DELLACHERIE
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| esespañol (es) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| frfrançais (fr) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| ititaliano (it) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| enEnglish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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