Invalidity · first instance · 2022-11-25
000118958
Contested design: 008632996-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested RCD is declared invalid, and the holder must pay EUR 750 in costs.
Show verbatim operative text
1. The application for a declaration of invalidity is upheld. 2. Registered Community design No 008632996-0001 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Carl Freudenberg KGvia PDF extraction
Germany (DE)
Höhnerweg 2-4, 69469 Weinheim, Germany
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Spontexvia PDF extraction
France (FR)
420, rue d'Estienne d'Orves, F-92705 Colombes Cedex France
Represented by
Prior art cited (1)
Screenshots from a YouTube video showing the household sponge 'Debbie Mayer Genius Sponge'
https://www.youtube.com · YouTube · disclosed 2018-03-27
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, relying on earlier disclosed sponge designs including a YouTube video of the 'Debbie Mayer Genius Sponge'.
- ›The holder filed no observations in response to the invalidity application.
- ›The Division accepted the YouTube video as prior disclosure before the filing date and found the informed user would receive the same overall impression from the compared sponge designs.
- ›The application was upheld because the contested design lacked individual character under Article 6(1)(b) CDR, so the design was declared invalid and costs were awarded against the holder.
Deciding panel
- MemberElisabetta FERRARO
- MemberEnrico D’ERRICO
- MemberRebecca SANTANA DAVIES
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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