T 0435/91 (Detergents) of 9.3.1994

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:1994:T043591.19940309
Date of decision: 09 March 1994
Case number: T 0435/91
Application number: 85301297.9
IPC class: C11D 17/00
Language of proceedings: EN
Distribution: A
Download and more information:
Decision text in EN (PDF, 982 KB)
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the Register
Bibliographic information is available in: EN
Versions: OJ | Published
Title of application: Detergent compositions
Applicant name: Unilever N.V.
Opponent name: Henkel
Board: 3.3.01
Headnote: The disclosure of an invention relating to a composition of matter, a component of which is defined by its function (in the present case an additive which forces a detergent composition in the hexagonal liquid crystal phase), is not sufficient if the patent discloses only isolated examples, but fails to disclose, taking into account, if necessary, the relevant common general knowledge, any technical concept fit for generalisation, which would enable the skilled person to achieve the envisaged result without undue difficulty within the whole ambit of the claim containing the "functional" definition (point 2.2.1 of the Reasons).
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 83
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 100(b)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 56
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123(2)
Keywords: Sufficiency of disclosure (main request and auxiliary requests 1 and 2, (no)
Inadmissible generalisation (auxiliary request 3)
Inventive step, unobvious alternative (auxiliary request 4)
Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:
T 0013/84
T 0226/85
T 0292/85
T 0301/87
T 0212/88
T 0060/89
T 0182/89
T 0019/90
T 0409/91
Citing decisions:
T 0418/91
T 0656/91
T 0585/92
T 0639/92
T 0694/92
T 0720/92
T 0923/92
T 0939/92
T 0206/93
T 0316/93
T 0659/93
T 0207/94
T 0245/94
T 0656/94
T 0903/94
T 0916/94
T 0919/94
T 0002/95
T 0311/95
T 0495/95
T 0691/95
T 0727/95
T 0905/95
T 0980/95
T 0289/96
T 0449/96
T 0534/96
T 0032/97
T 0322/97
T 0354/97
T 0400/97
T 0688/97
T 0998/97
T 1055/97
T 1213/97
T 0160/98
T 0462/98
T 0684/98
T 0720/98
T 0828/98
T 0981/98
T 1091/98
T 1165/98
T 0172/99
T 0516/99
T 0517/99
T 0762/99
T 1083/99
T 0499/00
T 0626/00
T 1173/00
T 1188/00
T 0356/01
T 0524/01
T 0716/01
T 0019/02
T 0034/02
T 0437/02
T 0440/02
T 0487/03
T 1032/03
T 1121/03
T 0246/04
T 0337/04
T 0354/04
T 1316/04
T 0094/05
T 0369/05
T 1044/05
T 0123/06
T 0142/06
T 0359/06
T 0381/06
T 0942/06
T 1063/06
T 1072/06
T 1111/06
T 1140/06
T 1205/06
T 1395/06
T 1743/06
T 0003/07
T 0021/07
T 0272/07
T 0519/07
T 0609/07
T 1358/07
T 0386/08
T 0406/08
T 0663/08
T 0959/08
T 1468/08
T 1941/08
T 0176/09
T 0923/09
T 1051/09
T 1139/09
T 1966/09
T 2323/09
T 0347/10
T 0553/10
T 1591/10
T 1948/10
T 0038/11
T 0307/11
T 0862/11
T 0958/11
T 1248/11
T 1502/11
T 1558/11
T 1626/11
T 1775/11
T 2163/11
T 2528/11
T 0123/12
T 0361/12
T 0544/12
T 0608/12
T 0889/12
T 1136/12
T 1545/12
T 1697/12
T 1875/12
T 2090/12
T 2194/12
T 2344/12
T 0094/13
T 0494/13
T 1001/13
T 2128/13
T 2229/13
T 2374/13
T 0004/14
T 0264/14
T 1406/14
T 1845/14
T 2119/14
T 0078/15
T 0136/15
T 0186/15
T 0387/15
T 0673/15
T 0703/15
T 0861/15
T 1034/15
T 1285/15
T 1334/15
T 1475/15
T 1959/15
T 2225/15
T 0434/16
T 2210/16
T 2242/16
T 0298/17
T 1436/17
T 0145/18
T 1285/18
T 1585/18
T 2015/20

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t910435ex1.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

69 references found.

Click X to load a reference inside the current page, click on the title to open in a new page.

EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application

Offical Journal of the EPO

Case Law Book: I Patentability

Case Law Book: II Conditions to be met by an Application

General Case Law