Invalidity · first instance · 2022-11-17
000117612
Contested design: 004031201-0004
Outcome
The application for a declaration of invalidity is rejected, and the applicant must bear the holder's costs fixed at EUR 400.
Show verbatim operative text(de)
1. Der Antrag auf Nichtigerklärung des eingetragenen Gemeinschaftsgeschmacksmusters Nr. 004031201-0004 wird zurückgewiesen. 2. Die Antragstellerin trägt die Kosten der Inhaberin, die auf 400 EUR festgesetzt werden.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs of €400
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
B.K.Licht GmbH & Co. KGvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Herzog Johann Str. 4 a, 81245 München, Deutschland
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
DecoTrend GmbH
Germany (DE)
zur Drehscheibe 5, 92637 Weiden, Deutschland
Prior art cited (2)
flachlegbarer Illuminationsstern
Swiss Patent No. 132939 · Swiss Patent Office · disclosed 1929-07-16
foldable lantern
US Patent No. 1,653,206 · United States Patent Office · disclosed 1927-12-20
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant argued that the contested Christmas star design lacked individual character in light of earlier Swiss and US patent disclosures showing the same overall star appearance.
- ›The holder replied that the cited patents disclosed a foldable Annaberg star with materially different geometry, beam shapes, and construction, and that the contested design was a different star design.
- ›The Division accepted both patent publications as prior disclosures under Article 7(1) but found that their common star concept carried limited weight because such outward-pointing rays are typical for Christmas stars.
- ›It held that the earlier foldable stars created a clearly different overall impression, especially in the shape of the rays, so the invalidity ground failed and the application was rejected.
Deciding panel
- MemberNatascha GALPERIN
- MemberIvanka IVANOVA
- MemberAlvaro SESMA MERINO
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish (en) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| deGerman | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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