T 0507/99 (Disclaimers/PPG) of 20.12.2002

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:2002:T050799.20021220
Date of decision: 20 December 2002
Case number: T 0507/99
Decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal: G 0001/03
Application number: 92116446.3
IPC class: C03C 17/36
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Versions: OJ v2 | Unpublished | Unpublished v3 | Published v2
Title of application: Heat processable metallic appearing coatings
Applicant name: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
Opponent name: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
Board: 3.3.05
Headnote: The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal:
1. Is an amendment to a claim by the introduction of a disclaimer unallowable under Article 123(2) EPC for the sole reason that neither the disclaimer nor the subject-matter excluded by it from the scope of the claim have a basis in the application as filed?
2. If the answer to question 1 is no, which criteria are to be applied in order to determine whether or not a disclaimer is allowable?
(a) In particular, is it of relevance whether the claim is to be delimited against a state of the art according to Article 54(3) EPC or against a state of the art according to Article 54(2) EPC?
(b) Is it necessary that the subject-matter excluded by the disclaimer be strictly confined to that disclosed in a particular piece of prior art?
(c) Is it of relevance whether the disclaimer is needed to make the claimed subject-matter novel over the prior art?
(d) Is the criterion applicable that the disclosure must be accidental, as established by prior jurisprudence, and, if yes, when is a disclosure to be regarded as being accidental, or
(e) is the approach to be applied that a disclaimer which is confined to disclaiming the prior art and has not been disclosed in the application as filed is allowable under Article 123(2) EPC, but that the examination of the subject-matter claimed for the presence of an inventive step has then to be carried out as if the disclaimer did not exist?
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 52(1)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 54(2)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 54(3)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 54(4)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 56
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 112(1)(a)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 123(2)
Keywords: Allowability of disclaimers - under Article 123(2) - delimitation against Article 54(2) and (3) prior art - criteria to be applied - referral to Enlarged Board
Catchwords:

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Cited decisions:
G 0001/93
G 0003/93
G 0002/98
T 0004/80
T 0043/82
T 0313/86
T 0433/86
T 0170/87
T 0296/87
T 0073/88
T 0012/90
T 0623/91
T 0898/91
T 0434/92
T 0597/92
T 0653/92
T 0710/92
T 0426/94
T 0932/94
T 0982/94
T 0608/96
T 0863/96
T 0871/96
T 0013/97
T 0323/97
T 0934/97
T 1071/97
T 0318/98
T 0351/98
T 0507/99
Citing decisions:
G 0002/03
G 0002/10
G 0001/16
T 0260/98
T 0590/98
T 0268/99
T 0507/99
T 0525/99
T 1049/99
T 0426/00
T 0810/00
T 0208/01
T 1086/01
T 1131/01
T 0161/02
T 0175/03
T 1107/06
T 1870/08
T 1872/14

37 references found.

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Offical Journal of the EPO

Case Law Book: I Patentability

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

General Case Law