Invalidity · first instance · 2020-12-11
000111481
Contested design: 007433206-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must pay the applicant's fixed costs of EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 007433206-0001 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the applicant’s costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Rimowa GmbH, Intellectual Property Rights Departmentvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Richard-Byrd-Strasse 13, 50829 Köln, Germany
Holder · RCD owner
Ningbo Cuiwo Import & Export Co., Ltdvia PDF extraction
China (CN)
Room 9-2, No. 329 Kaiming Street Haishu District, Ningbo 315000, People’s Republic of China
Represented by
Prior art cited (1)
Swissmobility Precision suitcase offered on Amazon
ASIN B07 B4H 9DFV · amazon.de · disclosed 2018-02-27
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of individual character, relying on an earlier Swissmobility suitcase disclosed online before the RCD filing date.
- ›The holder filed no observations and did not rebut the applicant's disclosure evidence or comparison of overall impressions.
- ›The Division accepted the Amazon printout as sufficient proof of prior disclosure under Article 7 and found broad design freedom for suitcases.
- ›It held that the twin-rib pattern and overall appearance created the same overall impression, so the RCD lacked individual character and was 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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