Invalidity · first instance · 2022-11-22
000116747
Contested design: 003789668-0001
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 003789668-0001 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
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)
Massage devices, facial cleaners, cosmetic skin treatment apparatus, cosmetic devices, vibromassage devices
Community design registration No 002816702-0001 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2015-10-21
international patent application for a skin cleanser
PCT/IB2014/000530 · disclosed 2014-07-10
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›Applicant alleged the contested facial cleansing device lacked novelty and individual character over earlier RCD No 002816702-0001 and that its features were solely dictated by technical function in patent application PCT/IB2014/000530.
- ›Holder replied that it owned the earlier design, the designs differed in shape and layout, designer freedom was limited, Article 8 should be disregarded procedurally, and the contested design remained new and distinctive.
- ›The Division found the patent application did not show the contested appearance was solely function-driven, because multiple alternative embodiments were possible and non-technical visual choices could not be excluded.
- ›The earlier RCD was validly disclosed, but the compared designs created different overall impressions due to thickness, overall shape, back waves, and base differences; the invalidity application was rejected in full.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila CELISOVA
- MemberRebecca SANTANA DAVIES
- MemberRasa BARAKAUSKIENĖ
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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