Invalidity · first instance · 2023-08-01
000118357
Contested design: 000920525-0001
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(it)
1. La domanda di dichiarazione di nullità del disegno o modello comunitario registrato n. 000920525-0001 è respinta. 2. Il richiedente sopporta l’onere delle spese del titolare, fissate a 400 EUR.
CostsApplicant ordered to pay costs of €400
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Castello s.r.l.via PDF extraction
Italy (IT)
Via Sammichele 30, Turi, Italia
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Societa' Generale delle Acque Minerali S.p.A.via PDF extraction
Italy (IT)
Via Salandra 1/A, 00187 Roma, Italia
Represented by
Prior art cited (9)
three-dimensional figurative mark for a water bottle
UK trade mark No. UK00002018684 · United Kingdom Trade Marks Bulletin No. 6104 · disclosed 1995-12-06
three-dimensional figurative mark for a water bottle
EU trade mark No. 002006781 · European Union Trade Marks Bulletin
Uliveto water bottle
LUISS Guido Carli thesis "Acque minerali: branding, mercato e comunicazione" / expert opinion
Lete water bottle
"Acque Minerali e di Sorgente Italia", Annuario directory 2004-2005 e 2006-2007, Beverfood Edizioni
Levissima water bottle
"Acque Minerali e di Sorgente Italia", Annuario directory 2004-2005 e 2006-2007, Beverfood Edizioni
Santa Croce water bottle
www.beverfood.com - "Nuovo Look per l’acqua Santa Croce frizzante" · www.beverfood.com · disclosed 2006-08-31
Ferrarelle water bottle
www.beverfood.com - "Ferrarelle lancia una nuova bottiglia pet a forma di ampolla" · www.beverfood.com / YouTube screenshot uploaded 2007-08-29 · disclosed 2007-07-18
Lilia water bottle
www.beverfood.com - "L’acqua Lilia delle fonti del Vulture va ora in lancio nazionale con Coca-Cola Italia" · www.beverfood.com · disclosed 2007-05-08
water bottle
RCD No. 000866207-0002 · Community Designs Bulletin · disclosed 2008-01-25
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity for lack of novelty and individual character, relying on nine earlier bottle designs and three-dimensional trade marks said to show the same hourglass bottle shape.
- ›The holder argued that bottle colours, materials, and labels were irrelevant, that the cited technical constraints did not eliminate design freedom, and that the cited earlier bottles still differed in their shaping and ribbing.
- ›The Division admitted the late evidence on D7, found the cited earlier disclosures sufficiently proven, but held that the contested bottle differed in the position of the waist, ribbing, base, and upper-body proportions.
- ›Because the contested design created a different overall impression from each prior design, the invalidity application was rejected and the applicant was ordered to pay EUR 400 in costs.
Deciding panel
- MemberEnrico D’ERRICO
- MemberElisabetta FERRARO
- MemberMichele M. BENEDETTI ALOISI
Decision files
| Language | Type | Source link |
|---|---|---|
| enEnglish (en) | machine translated | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
| itItalian | original | Download original from EUIPO ↗ |
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