Invalidity · first instance · 2019-08-13
000102259
Contested design: 000953492-0024
Outcome
The application for a declaration of invalidity is rejected, and the applicant must bear the holder's costs fixed at EUR 400.
Show verbatim operative text(de)
1. Der Antrag auf Nichtigerklärung des eingetragenen Gemeinschaftsgeschmacksmusters Nr. 000953492-0024 wird zurückgewiesen. 2. Die Antragstellerin trägt die Kosten der Inhaberin, die auf 400 EUR festgesetzt werden.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs of €400
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
NBL Europe GmbH
Germany (DE)
Monzastr. 4a, 63225 Langen, Deutschland
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Erwin Müller GmbH
Germany (DE)
Breslauer Str. 34-38, 49808 Lingen (Ems), Deutschland
Represented by
Prior art cited (1)
Wall-mounted soap dispenser from the applicant's bathroom accessories series "Serie 113".
SERIES 113 / article 11321A · NBL product catalog "SERIES 113" and related trade-fair / sales materials
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character based on an allegedly earlier soap dispenser design from its Serie 113 materials.
- ›The holder argued the evidence did not prove public disclosure, questioned the reliability and dating of the materials, and disputed that EU specialist circles would have known them.
- ›The Division found the catalogues, trade-fair materials, declaration, emails, invoices, and screenshots did not concretely establish when or how the earlier design was made public.
- ›Because prior disclosure under Article 7 was not proven, the invalidity grounds under Article 25(1)(b) in conjunction with Articles 4, 5 and 6 failed, so the application was rejected.
Deciding panel
- MemberAlvaro SESMA MERINO
- MemberNatascha GALPERIN
- MemberIvanka IVANOVA
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish (en) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| deGerman | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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