Invalidity · first instance · 2022-12-21
000116688
Contested design: 002778647-0001
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested registered Community design is declared invalid, and the holder must bear the applicant's costs fixed at EUR 750.
Show verbatim operative text(es)
1. Se estima la solicitud de declaración de nulidad. 2. Se declara nulo el dibujo o modelo comunitario registrado n.º 002778647-0001. 3. Se condena al titular a que sufrague las costas del solicitante, que se fijan en 750 EUR.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Kinya Solutions, Lda.via PDF extraction
Portugal (PT)
Eco-Parque Empresarial de Estarreja, Rua de Veiros, N.º 11, 3860-529 Estarreja, Portugal
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Polimeros Gestión Industrial, S.L.via PDF extraction
Spain (ES)
Autovía A-4 Km 412, 14013 Córdoba, España
Represented by
Prior art cited (4)
Modular polycarbonate panel for building roofs
EP 3290613 / ES 201530498 U · Spain utility model priority / European patent · disclosed 2015-04-30
Holder website showing the panels
https://polimerosgi.com/producto/polimer · polimerosgi.com · disclosed 2021-10-18
Patent application cited as earlier disclosure
DE 10 208 687 A1 · Germany patent publication · disclosed 2003-09-25
European patent application cited as earlier disclosure
EP 98940413.2 · European patent publication · disclosed 2000-06-28
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for technical function, lack of novelty, lack of individual character, and non-visible component features, relying on patent and website disclosures concerning the same roof panel.
- ›The holder argued the panel was not solely functional, designers had freedom over several features, the design remained visible in normal use, and Article 8(3) protected it as part of a modular system.
- ›The Division admitted the late Portuguese court materials for completeness but found national infringement judgments non-binding for assessing validity under the Regulation.
- ›On the merits, the Division found every visible feature of the registered profile chosen only to achieve technical coupling and roofing functions, and rejected the claimed Article 8(3) modular-system exception.
- ›The application was upheld in full under Article 25(1)(b) and Article 8(1); the RCD was invalidated and the holder was ordered to pay EUR 750 in costs.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila ČELIŠOVÁ
- MemberCarmen SÁNCHEZ PALOMARES
- MemberJessica N. LEWIS
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish (en) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| esSpanish | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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