Invalidity · first instance · 2021-05-03
000110684
Contested design: 006371126-0001
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 0063711260001 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
Domino Polska Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością spółka komandytowavia PDF extraction
Poland (PL)
ul. Rzeźnicza 4, 58200 Dzierżoniów, Poland
Represented by
Bartosz Szczepaniak
Holder · RCD owner
Schaffner Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością Spółka Komandytowa
Poland (PL)
Głogoczów 996, 32444 Głogoczów, Poland
Represented by
Marek Mikosza
Prior art cited (9)
door handle
RCD No 0032411240001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2016-06-29
door handle
RCD No 0012838160002 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2011-07-19
door handle
RCD No 0024053810077 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2016-08-17
door handle
RCD No 0032411240002 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2016-06-29
door handle
RCD No 0053028170001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2018-06-18
door handle
RCD No 0053028410001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2018-06-18
Qubik design door handle disclosed in applicant catalogues and Rothkin materials
Domino catalogues and Rothkin website/catalogue
Gustaw design door handle disclosed in applicant catalogues and Rothkin materials
Domino catalogues and Rothkin website/catalogue
Chinese patent design for a door handle
CN303910749S · Chinese patent publication · disclosed 2016-11-16
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character based on six earlier RCDs, Qubik and Gustaw catalogue and website disclosures, and later a Chinese patent publication.
- ›The holder argued designer freedom for door handles was narrow, market trends mattered, and catalogue printouts were unreliable without notarial authentication; it also objected to the Chinese patent evidence as not in the proceeding language.
- ›The Division accepted disclosure of the earlier published RCDs, found the Chinese patent inadmissible because it was not invoked in the application, and did not need to assess the remaining evidence.
- ›It held designer freedom for door-handle shape was not limited, the contested design created the same overall impression as D1, and therefore lacked individual character under Article 6(1).
- ›The application was upheld, the contested RCD was declared invalid in full, and the holder was ordered to pay EUR 750 in costs.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila CELISOVA
- MemberElisabetta FERRARO
- MemberNatascha GALPERIN
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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