Invalidity · first instance · 2022-04-22
000113741
Contested design: 003731652-0033
Outcome
The invalidity application is rejected, and the applicant must pay the holder’s fixed costs of EUR 400.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity of registered Community design No 003731652-0033 is rejected. 3. The applicant bears the holder’s costs, fixed at EUR 400.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs of €400
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Maciej Paluchowski Bastervia PDF extraction
Poland (PL)
ul. Elektryków, nr 10, Świecie, 86-100, Poland
Holder · RCD owner
Puczyński-Mała Architektura Mariusz Puczyński
Poland (PL)
Robotnicza 31, 05-800 Pruszków, Poland
Represented by
Prior art cited (10)
benches [furniture], bench seats, park benches, benches with backrest
Community design registration No 002726620-0002 · Community Design Bulletin · disclosed 2015-07-13
Bench seats
Community design registration No 002333401-0002 · Community Design Bulletin · disclosed 2013-10-31
French design registration No 20125161 · France · disclosed 2013-01-18
benches [furniture]
Community design registration No 003114727-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2016-05-25
French design registration No 20124377 · France · disclosed 2012-11-23
Benches [furniture]
Community design registration No 002962589-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2016-01-29
Benches [furniture]
Community design registration No 000202270-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2004-10-05
chairs [seats]
Community design registration No 000351747-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2005-08-09
bench seats
Community design registration No 001986019-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2012-02-08
Montseny 150 bench by Leopoldo Milá
https://www.escofet.com/productos/urbanlife/bancos-multimaterial/montseny · escofet.com
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, relying on nine earlier registered designs and later a website link for a similar bench.
- ›The holder argued the shared features were standard for outdoor benches and that the compared designs differed in slats, proportions, armrests, legs, fixing systems, and overall shape.
- ›The Division accepted disclosure of D1 to D9, rejected the later website evidence as inadmissible, and found broad designer freedom for benches despite functional constraints.
- ›Comparing each cited design individually, the Division found the differences in armrests, legs, slats, and overall appearance sufficient to create a different overall impression, so the application was rejected.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila CELISOVA
- MemberRebecca SANTANA DAVIES
- MemberMichelle DELLACHERIE
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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