Invalidity · first instance · 2022-01-31
000115083
Contested design: 007657556-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is rejected, and the applicant must bear the holder's costs fixed at EUR 400.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity of registered Community design No 0076575560001 is rejected. 2. The applicant bears the holder’s costs, fixed at EUR 400.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs of €400
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
FHS International GmbH & Co. KGvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
An der Eickesmühle 34, 41238 Mönchengladbach, Germany
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Western Region Enterprises Xiamen Limitedvia PDF extraction
China (CN)
Room 602, No. 64 Yundang Road, Siming Dist., Xiamen, Fujian, People’s Republic of China
Prior art cited (7)
Collapsible outdoor lighted Christmas tree ensemble
United States patent No 6 062 701 · United States Patent and Trademark Office · disclosed 2000-05-16
Assembly of a mast and dressing device and a dressing device for such an assembly and a method for dressing a mast
European patent application No 1 710 772 A1 · European Patent Office · disclosed 2006-10-11
Illumination Assembly for Providing a Christmas Tree Impression
PCT publication No WO 2014/189365 A1 · WIPO · disclosed 2014-11-27
Pre-lit Metal Frame Christmas Tree
United States patent No 10 092 124 B1 · United States Patent and Trademark Office · disclosed 2018-10-09
Fairybell Wall 400CM-240LED WarmWeiss
ASIN B07FZZZDLC · amazon.de · disclosed 2018-07-29
3D Illuminated Static Light Christmas Trees
https://www.worm.co.uk/ · worm.co.uk
design publicly displayed at Messe Christmas World 2020
Messe Christmas World 2020, Frankfurt am Main, Germany · disclosed 2020-01-25
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›Applicant sought invalidity under Articles 25(1)(a) and 25(1)(b), arguing the views were contradictory, priority was invalid, and earlier designs D1-D7 destroyed novelty and individual character.
- ›Holder replied that the drawings consistently showed one hexagonal pyramid product, the Chinese priority applicant was the same company, and the cited designs differed in structure, shape, and light placement.
- ›The Division rejected the Article 25(1)(a) attack, finding the registered views depict a single Christmas-tree decoration and any differences stem from orthographic and perspective representation.
- ›It accepted disclosure of D1-D4 but not D5-D7, found the contested design produced a different overall impression and was new, and therefore rejected the invalidity application.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila ČELIŠOVA
- MemberRasa BARAKAUSKIENĖ
- MemberBenjamin VAN BAVEL
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| deDeutsch (de) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| 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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