Invalidity · first instance · 2021-08-09
000114061
Contested design: 006610143-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested Community design is declared invalid, and the holder must bear the applicant’s costs fixed at EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 0066101430001 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
Britney Crowellvia PDF extraction
United States (US)
19 remsen Place, West Babylon New York 11704, United States of America
Represented by
Ákos Süle
Holder · RCD owner
M & A Consulting Llc T/A Beautifully Warmvia PDF extraction
United States (US)
1841 Monument Dr. Virginia Beach VA 23464-8772, United States of America
Represented by
Prior art cited (2)
backless hat
US Design Patent No D891,734 S · United States patent database · disclosed 2020-08-04
backless hats under the 'CurlCap' brand shown on Instagram and Facebook
Instagram and Facebook · disclosed 2017-12-08
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty, arguing the contested backless cap was identical to her earlier backless-hat design disclosed before the RCD filing date.
- ›She relied on a later-granted US design patent and pre-filing Instagram and Facebook screenshots under the 'CurlCap' brand; the holder filed no observations.
- ›The Division held the patent grant post-dated the RCD filing, but accepted the dated social-media posts as sufficiently clear public disclosures under Article 7(1) CDR.
- ›Because the compared designs showed no perceptible differences in their essential features, the RCD was identical to the earlier design and lacked novelty, so it was invalidated.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila CELISOVA
- MemberElisabetta FERRARO
- MemberMichele M. BENEDETTI ALOISI
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 ↗ |
Locarno classes
Similar decisions
Ranked by shared Locarno class + shared legal grounds + matching outcome. Click a case to view full detail.
| Case | Date | Outcome | Shared grounds | Locarno | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 000132104 vs Shenzhen Damai Network Technology Co., Ltd. | 2026-05-21 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |
| 000127579 vs VICTORIA CARLOTA TERCEÑO JIMENEZ | 2026-04-15 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |
| 000131324 vs Song Li | 2026-03-11 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |
| 000130815 vs CYBROG PTE. LTD. | 2026-02-12 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |
| 000130769 vs CYBROG PTE. LTD. | 2026-02-12 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |
| 000130811 vs CYBROG PTE. LTD. | 2026-02-12 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |
| 000130812 vs CYBROG PTE. LTD. | 2026-02-12 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |
| 000130814 vs CYBROG PTE. LTD. | 2026-02-12 | REUD invalidated | Art 25(1)(b) | 02 | 8 |