T 0458/96 () of 7.10.1998

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:1998:T045896.19981007
Date of decision: 07 October 1998
Case number: T 0458/96
Application number: 87301851.9
IPC class: H05K 3/34
H01R 9/00
Language of proceedings: EN
Distribution: B
Download and more information:
Decision text in EN (PDF, 60 KB)
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the Register
Bibliographic information is available in: EN
Versions: Unpublished
Title of application: Electrical connector with pin retention feature
Applicant name: E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
Opponent name: 01: The Whitaker Corporation
02: Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company of 3M Centre
03: Siemens AG
04: Stocko Metallwarenfabriken Henkels und Sohn GmbH & Co.
Board: 3.4.02
Headnote: -
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 54
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 56
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 114(2)
Keywords: Inventive step - (yes) after amendment
Catchwords:

When both the technical content of a claim and the whole description of the patent clearly establish that the specific manner in which terminal pins of an electrical connector cooperate with respective holes in a printed circuit board constitutes an essential feature of the invention for which protection is sought, a claim directed to an electrical connector which is defined inter alia by way of features reciting such specific cooperation cannot be construed as if these features merely defined an intended use of the connector, which should be disregarded for the purpose of assessing patentability of the claimed subject-matter (see point 3 of the Reasons).

Cited decisions:
T 0015/91
T 1002/92
Citing decisions:
T 0234/97
T 0620/00

4 references found.

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