Invalidity · first instance · 2022-11-22
000116710
Contested design: 003423060-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must pay the applicant’s costs fixed at EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 003423060-0001 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the applicant’s costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Beurer GmbHvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Söflinger Str. 218, 89077 Ulm, Germany
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
FOREO AB
Sweden (SE)
Karlavägen 41, 11434 Stockholm, Sweden
Represented by
Prior art cited (2)
facial cleansing and massaging apparatus
Community design registration No 002211086-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2013-04-10
international patent application for a skin cleanser
PCT/IB2014/000530 · disclosed 2014-07-10
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character over an earlier RCD and argued that the design’s features were solely dictated by technical function in light of patent application PCT/IB2014/000530.
- ›The holder argued the earlier design belonged to the same corporate group, the contested design differed in shape and layout, designer freedom was limited by the brand line, and Article 8(1) should be disregarded procedurally.
- ›The Division held Article 8(1) could be examined but found the patent left multiple design choices open, so the contested design’s features were not shown to be solely dictated by technical function.
- ›The Division found the earlier RCD had been disclosed before filing, the two designs created the same overall impression on the informed user, and the contested design therefore lacked individual character.
- ›The invalidity application was upheld in full, the contested design was declared invalid, and the holder was ordered to pay EUR 750 in costs.
Deciding panel
- MemberEnrico D’ERRICO
- MemberRebecca SANTANA DAVIES
- MemberElisabetta FERRARO
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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