Invalidity · first instance · 2022-06-22
000116997
Contested design: 008480586-0001
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 008480586-0001 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
Bird Buddy Inc.via PDF extraction
United States (US)
651 N Broad Street, Suite 206, Middletown, New Castle 1000, United States of America
Represented by
Andrej Bukovnik
Holder · RCD owner
Zechuang Zheng
China (CN)
No.53, Ancestral Hall, No.2; Yuanqian Commune, Jianshan Village, Yujiao Town, Jiedong District, Jieyang, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
Represented by
Maria Ioannides
Prior art cited (1)
bird feeder with camera
Community design registration No 0084110780001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2021-01-27
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, conflict with an earlier design right, and unauthorised use of its Slovenian copyright-protected Bird Buddy feeder design.
- ›The holder argued bird feeders with cameras have limited design options, highlighted the different roof and front bird stand, and denied any unauthorised copying or copyright adaptation.
- ›The Division found the earlier RCD had been disclosed, but the contested design created a different overall impression because its shape, roof, and front stand differed in the features most relevant to appearance.
- ›The Division also held Article 25(1)(d) was inapplicable because the earlier RCD was disclosed before, not after, the contested filing date, and rejected the copyright claim for insufficient showing of protected scope and adaptation.
- ›The application was rejected in its entirety and the applicant was ordered to pay the holder's fixed representation costs of EUR 400.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila CELISOVA
- MemberJessica N. LEWIS
- MemberCarmen SÁNCHEZ PALOMARES
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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