Invalidity · first instance · 2020-11-10
000110161
Contested design: 002042978-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must bear EUR 750 in costs.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 0020429780001 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Leifheit AGvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Leifheitstr., 56377 Nassau, Germany
Holder · RCD owner
Sam Yi International Co., Ltd.
Taiwan (TW)
No. 135, Sec. 2, Jiaotan Rd., Fengyuan Dist., Taichung City 420, Taiwan (ROC)
Represented by
Prior art cited (2)
Louis L. Lepoix Folding Service Cart 1983
https://www.moma.org · MoMA website
Wenko 713001500 Catering trolley
ASIN B005HDTBSC · amazon.de · disclosed 2011-02-02
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›Applicant argued the contested foldable service trolley lacked novelty and individual character because earlier Louis L. Lepoix and Wenko trolley disclosures showed the same appearance before the filing date.
- ›Holder argued the common trolley features were well known or technically determined, claimed the prior designs left only a narrow scope of protection, and alleged visible differences in the connecting element, trays, and basket.
- ›The Division accepted the Amazon evidence as prior disclosure, treated the tray portions shown in broken lines as excluded, and found no visible differences between the protected features of the prior and contested designs.
- ›The Division concluded the contested design was identical to the prior Wenko trolley, lacked novelty under Article 5(1)(b), upheld the invalidity application, and declared the RCD invalid.
Deciding panel
- MemberAlvaro SESMA MERINO
- MemberLudmila ČELIŠOVÁ
- MemberBenjamin VAN BAVEL
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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