Invalidity · first instance · 2026-04-29
000129681
Contested design: 009011992-0004
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 009011992-0004 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)
Article 'TOY^2 Track Connectors Review' showing the holder's 'male-male block' connector
https://legebyen.dk · legebyen.dk · disclosed 2021-03-10
Wayback Machine snapshot of the holder's website showing 'Toy^2 Track Connectors'
https://squar3d.dk · Wayback Machine / squar3d.dk · disclosed 2020-11-18
Legal grounds invoked
Argument summary
- ›The applicant sought invalidity because the connector's features were technically dictated and because earlier online disclosures of the holder's 'male-male block' destroyed novelty and individual character.
- ›The holder argued the earlier product was different and that the contested design's rounded contours, slimmer proportions and other visible features reflected aesthetic choices beyond pure technical function.
- ›The Division held the connector formed part of a modular system, so Article 8(3) EUDR prevented invalidity on interconnection grounds, and it accepted the March 2021 online article as prior disclosure.
- ›Comparing the disclosed prior design with the contested design, the Division found the same overall impression on the informed user and declared the design invalid for lack of individual character.
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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