Invalidity · first instance · 2026-04-29
000129622
Contested design: 009011992-0002
Outcome
The invalidity application is upheld, the contested EU design 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 EU design No 009011992-0002 is declared invalid. 3. The holder bears the costs, fixed at EUR 750.
CostsHolder ordered to pay costs of €750
Parties
Applicant · invalidity challenger
Robitsvia PDF extraction
Belgium (BE)
Kortrijk, Belgium
Represented by
Holder · RCD owner
Squar3D Aps
Denmark (DK)
Hadsten, Denmark
Represented by
Niels Uth
Prior art cited (2)
‘TOY^2 Track Connectors Review’ article showing the female-female straight ahead block
https://legebyen.dk · legebyen.dk · disclosed 2021-03-10
Wayback Machine capture of the holder’s Toy^2 Track Connectors website
https://squar3d.dk · Wayback Machine · disclosed 2020-11-18
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›Applicant argued the connector’s features were dictated by technical function and mechanical interconnection and that earlier online disclosures also destroyed novelty and individual character.
- ›Holder said the contested design differed visually from earlier connectors, reflected aesthetic choices, and benefited from remaining design freedom despite interoperability constraints.
- ›The Division treated the product as part of a modular system, so Article 8(3) could preserve protection if novelty and individual character were met.
- ›It found the prior 10/03/2021 online design produced the same overall impression on the informed user, so the contested design lacked individual character and was invalidated.
Deciding panel
- MemberLudmila ČELIŠOVÁ
- MemberRasa BARAKAUSKIENĖ
- MemberEmmanuel COLLIN
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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