Invalidity · first instance · 2022-07-26
000116427
Contested design: 008499925-0003
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must bear costs fixed at EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 008499925-0003 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Golden Concept ABvia PDF extraction
Sweden (SE)
Djäknegatan 31, 211 35 Malmö, Sweden
Represented by
Mathias Lindroth
Holder · RCD owner
Changwei LIU
China (CN)
Room 1301, Building B, Olive Oasis Home, No.5, Jingtian East Road, Futian Distirct, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
Prior art cited (2)
watch case for Apple Watch
Instagram · disclosed 2020-08-24
Clock bezels, Cases for watches
RCD No 008468169-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2021-03-25
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant argued the contested Apple Watch casing was disclosed after its Instagram publication D1 and earlier RCD D2 and lacked novelty and individual character.
- ›The holder argued designer freedom was constrained by the Apple Watch shape and that bezel, screw, and speaker-slot differences created a different overall impression.
- ›The Division relied on D2 as validly disclosed, found designer freedom at least average, and held the cited differences were minor surface details against strong overall similarity.
- ›The application was upheld because the contested design lacked individual character under Article 6(1)(b) CDR and was declared invalid with costs against the holder.
Deciding panel
- MemberEnrico D’ERRICO
- MemberBenjamin VAN BAVEL
- MemberMichele M. BENEDETTI – ALOISI
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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