Invalidity · first instance · 2019-08-14
000102440
Contested design: 000953492-0030
Outcome
The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld, the contested registered Community design is declared invalid, and the holder 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. 000953492-0030 wird für nichtig erklärt. Die Inhaberin trägt die Kosten der Antragstellerin, die auf 750 EUR festgesetzt werden.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
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 (2)
TOWEL RING from the applicant's bad accessory series 'Serie 113' shown in a 2006 product catalog
Artikelnr. 11338A · Applicant product catalog (2006) · disclosed 2006-12-31
Chinese design cited against the contested design
ZL 200730117713.7 · China
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, relying on earlier disclosures of its Series 113 towel ring and a cited Chinese design.
- ›The holder argued the evidence did not prove prior disclosure, challenged the catalog date and witness declarations, and said the cited designs differed in features and finish.
- ›The Division accepted the 2006 catalog extracts as sufficiently corroborated prior disclosure before the filing date and found no reason to doubt their distribution.
- ›Comparing the towel-ring designs, the Division found only minor differences and the same overall impression on the informed user, so the contested design lacked individual character and was invalidated.
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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