T 0585/92 (Deodorant detergent) of 9.2.1995

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:1995:T058592.19950209
Date of decision: 09 February 1995
Case number: T 0585/92
Application number: 79300039.9
IPC class: A61K 7/32
Language of proceedings: EN
Distribution: A
Download and more information:
Decision text in EN (PDF, 1 MB)
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the Register
Bibliographic information is available in: EN
Versions: OJ | Published
Title of application: The use of a deodorant detergent composition and a method for suppressing human body malodour
Applicant name: UNILEVER PLC, et al
Opponent name: (01) Bayer AG
(02) PROCTER & GAMBLE E.T.C.
(03) Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien
Board: 3.3.02
Headnote: 1. Where a patent application is published early by a government agency as a result of an error, this is not of necessity an abuse in relation to the applicant within the meaning of Article 55(1)(a) EPC, however unfortunate and detrimental its consequences may turn out to be.
2. In order to determine whether there is an abuse in the sense of Article 55(1)(a) EPC, the state of mind of the "abuser" is of importance.
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 54
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 55
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 56
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 83
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 84
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 87
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123
Keywords: Sufficiency - yes - in light of Appellant's further experiments
Clarity and support - yes
Priority - in order
Novelty - yes
Inventive step - yes
Evident abuse in relation to Applicant - early publication by Brazilian Patent Office not considered to be so
Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:
G 0005/83
G 0002/88
G 0009/91
G 0010/91
T 0014/83
T 0173/83
T 0098/84
T 0226/85
T 0292/85
T 0409/91
T 0435/91
T 0112/92
Citing decisions:
T 0436/92
T 0710/94
T 0376/95
T 0377/95
T 0291/97
T 0610/97
T 0042/00
T 0134/00
T 0184/00
T 0499/00
T 0784/00
T 0933/01
T 0252/02
T 0982/02
T 0877/03
T 0453/04
T 0802/04
T 0099/05
T 0572/05
T 0808/05
T 0964/13
T 1608/13

30 references found.

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

EPO Guidelines - G Patentability

Offical Journal of the EPO

Case Law Book: I Patentability

Case Law Book: III Amendments

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

General Case Law