Skip to main content Skip to footer
HomeHome
 
  • Homepage
  • Searching for patents

    Patent knowledge

    Access our patent databases and search tools.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Technical information
      • Overview
      • Espacenet - patent search
      • European Publication Server
      • EP full-text search
    • Legal information
      • Overview
      • European Patent Register
      • European Patent Bulletin
      • European Case Law Identifier sitemap
      • Third-party observations
    • Business information
      • Overview
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
      • Technology insight reports
    • Data
      • Overview
      • Technology Intelligence Platform
      • Linked open EP data
      • Bulk data sets
      • Web services
      • Coverage, codes and statistics
    • Technology platforms
      • Overview
      • Plastics in transition
      • Water innovation
      • Space innovation
      • Technologies combatting cancer
      • Firefighting technologies
      • Clean energy technologies
      • Fighting coronavirus
    • Helpful resources
      • Overview
      • First time here?
      • Asian patent information
      • Patent information centres
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Business and statistics
      • Unitary Patent information in patent knowledge
    Image
    Plastics in Transition

    Technology insight report on plastic waste management

  • Applying for a patent

    Applying for a patent

    Practical information on filing and grant procedures.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • European route
      • Overview
      • European Patent Guide
      • Oppositions
      • Oral proceedings
      • Appeals
      • Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court
      • National validation
      • Request for extension/validation
    • International route (PCT)
      • Overview
      • Euro-PCT Guide – PCT procedure at the EPO
      • EPO decisions and notices
      • PCT provisions and resources
      • Extension/validation request
      • Reinforced partnership programme
      • Accelerating your PCT application
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
      • Training and events
    • National route
    • Find a professional representative
    • MyEPO services
      • Overview
      • Understand our services
      • Get access
      • File with us
      • Interact with us on your files
      • Online Filing & fee payment outages
    • Forms
      • Overview
      • Request for examination
    • Fees
      • Overview
      • European fees (EPC)
      • International fees (PCT)
      • Unitary Patent fees (UP)
      • Fee payment and refunds
      • Warning

    UP

    Find out how the Unitary Patent can enhance your IP strategy

  • Law & practice

    Law & practice

    European patent law, the Official Journal and other legal texts.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Legal texts
      • Overview
      • European Patent Convention
      • Official Journal
      • Guidelines
      • Extension / validation system
      • London Agreement
      • National law relating to the EPC
      • Unitary patent system
      • National measures relating to the Unitary Patent
    • Court practices
      • Overview
      • European Patent Judges' Symposium
    • User consultations
      • Overview
      • Ongoing consultations
      • Completed consultations
    • Substantive patent law harmonisation
      • Overview
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Group B+
    • Convergence of practice
    • Options for professional representatives
    Image
    Law and practice scales 720x237

    Keep up with key aspects of selected BoA decisions with our monthly "Abstracts of decisions”

  • News & events

    News & events

    Our latest news, podcasts and events, including the European Inventor Award.

    Go to overview 

     

    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • European Inventor Award
      • Overview
      • The meaning of tomorrow
      • About the award
      • Categories and prizes
      • Meet the finalists
      • Nominations
      • European Inventor Network
      • The 2024 event
    • Young Inventor Prize
      • Overview
      • About the prize
      • Nominations
      • The jury
      • The world, reimagined
    • Press centre
      • Overview
      • Patent Index and statistics
      • Search in press centre
      • Background information
      • Copyright
      • Press contacts
      • Call back form
      • Email alert service
    • Innovation and patenting in focus
      • Overview
      • Water-related technologies
      • CodeFest
      • Green tech in focus
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Lifestyle
      • Space and satellites
      • The future of medicine
      • Materials science
      • Mobile communications
      • Biotechnology
      • Patent classification
      • Digital technologies
      • The future of manufacturing
      • Books by EPO experts
    • "Talk innovation" podcast

    Podcast

    From ideas to inventions: tune into our podcast for the latest in tech and IP

  • Learning

    Learning

    The European Patent Academy – the point of access to your learning

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Learning activities and paths
      • Overview
      • Learning activities
      • Learning paths
    • EQE and EPAC
      • Overview
      • EQE - European qualifying examination
      • EPAC - European patent administration certification
      • CSP – Candidate Support Programme
    • Learning resources by area of interest
      • Overview
      • Patent granting
      • Technology transfer and dissemination
      • Patent enforcement and litigation
    • Learning resources by profile
      • Overview
      • Business and IP managers
      • EQE and EPAC Candidates
      • Judges, lawyers and prosecutors
      • National offices and IP authorities
      • Patent attorneys and paralegals
      • Universities, research centres and technology transfer centres (TTOs)
    Image
    Patent Academy catalogue

    Have a look at the extensive range of learning opportunities in the European Patent Academy training catalogue

  • About us

    About us

    Find out more about our work, values, history and vision

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • The EPO at a glance
    • 50 years of the EPC
      • Overview
      • Official celebrations
      • Member states’ video statements
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
      • Athens Marathon
      • Kids’ collaborative art competition
    • Legal foundations and member states
      • Overview
      • Legal foundations
      • Member states of the European Patent Organisation
      • Extension states
      • Validation states
    • Administrative Council and subsidiary bodies
      • Overview
      • Communiqués
      • Calendar
      • Documents and publications
      • Administrative Council
    • Principles & strategy
      • Overview
      • Our mission, vision, values and corporate policy
      • Strategic Plan 2028
      • Towards a New Normal
    • Leadership & management
      • Overview
      • President António Campinos
      • Management Advisory Committee
    • Sustainability at the EPO
      • Overview
      • Environmental
      • Social
      • Governance and Financial sustainability
    • Services & activities
      • Overview
      • Our services & structure
      • Quality
      • Consulting our users
      • European and international co-operation
      • European Patent Academy
      • Chief Economist
      • Ombuds Office
      • Reporting wrongdoing
    • Observatory on Patents and Technology
      • Overview
      • About the Observatory
      • Our activities
      • Our topics
      • Our partners and networks
      • Financing innovation programme
      • Digital library
      • Data desk
    • Procurement
      • Overview
      • Procurement forecast
      • Doing business with the EPO
      • Procurement procedures
      • Sustainable Procurement Policy
      • About eTendering and electronic signatures
      • Procurement portal
      • Invoicing
      • General conditions
      • Archived tenders
    • Transparency portal
      • Overview
      • General
      • Human
      • Environmental
      • Organisational
      • Social and relational
      • Economic
      • Governance
    • Statistics and trends
      • Overview
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • Patent Index 2024
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • History
      • Overview
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010s
      • 2020s
    • Art collection
      • Overview
      • The collection
      • Let's talk about art
      • Artists
      • Media library
      • What's on
      • Publications
      • Contact
      • Culture Space A&T 5-10
      • "Long Night"
    Image
    Patent Index 2024 keyvisual showing brightly lit up data chip, tinted in purple, bright blue

    Track the latest tech trends with our Patent Index

 
en de fr
  • Language selection
  • English
  • Deutsch
  • Français
Main navigation
  • Homepage
  • New to patents
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • What's your big idea?
    • Are you ready?
    • What to expect
    • How to apply for a patent
    • Your business and patents
    • Is it patentable?
    • Are you first?
    • Why do we have patents?
    • Patent quiz
    • Unitary patent video
  • Searching for patents
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Technical information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Espacenet - patent search
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • National patent office databases
        • Global Patent Index (GPI)
        • Release notes
      • European Publication Server
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Release notes
        • Cross-reference index for Euro-PCT applications
        • EP authority file
        • Help
      • EP full-text search
    • Legal information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Register
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Release notes archive
        • Register documentation
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Deep link data coverage
          • Federated Register
          • Register events
      • European Patent Bulletin
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Download Bulletin
        • EP Bulletin search
        • Help
      • European Case Law Identifier sitemap
      • Third-party observations
    • Business information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
        • Go back
        • Release notes
      • Technology insight reports
    • Data
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Technology Intelligence Platform
      • Linked open EP data
      • Bulk data sets
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Manuals
        • Sequence listings
        • National full-text data
        • European Patent Register data
        • EPO worldwide bibliographic data (DOCDB)
        • EP full-text data
        • EPO worldwide legal event data (INPADOC)
        • EP bibliographic data (EBD)
        • Boards of Appeal decisions
      • Web services
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Open Patent Services (OPS)
        • European Publication Server web service
      • Coverage, codes and statistics
        • Go back
        • Weekly updates
        • Updated regularly
    • Technology platforms
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Plastics in transition
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Plastics waste recovery
        • Plastics waste recycling
        • Alternative plastics
      • Innovation in water technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Clean water
        • Protection from water
      • Space innovation
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Cosmonautics
        • Space observation
      • Technologies combatting cancer
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Prevention and early detection
        • Diagnostics
        • Therapies
        • Wellbeing and aftercare
      • Firefighting technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Detection and prevention of fires
        • Fire extinguishing
        • Protective equipment
        • Post-fire restoration
      • Clean energy technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Renewable energy
        • Carbon-intensive industries
        • Energy storage and other enabling technologies
      • Fighting coronavirus
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Vaccines and therapeutics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Vaccines
          • Overview of candidate therapies for COVID-19
          • Candidate antiviral and symptomatic therapeutics
          • Nucleic acids and antibodies to fight coronavirus
        • Diagnostics and analytics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Protein and nucleic acid assays
          • Analytical protocols
        • Informatics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Bioinformatics
          • Healthcare informatics
        • Technologies for the new normal
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Devices, materials and equipment
          • Procedures, actions and activities
          • Digital technologies
        • Inventors against coronavirus
    • Helpful resources
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • First time here?
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Basic definitions
        • Patent classification
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
        • Patent families
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • DOCDB simple patent family
          • INPADOC extended patent family
        • Legal event data
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • INPADOC classification scheme
      • Asian patent information
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • China (CN)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Chinese Taipei (TW)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • India (IN)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
        • Japan (JP)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Korea (KR)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Russian Federation (RU)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Numbering system
          • Searching in databases
        • Useful links
      • Patent information centres (PATLIB)
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Business and statistics
      • Unitary Patent information in patent knowledge
  • Applying for a patent
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • European route
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Guide
      • Oppositions
      • Oral proceedings
        • Go back
        • Oral proceedings calendar
          • Go back
          • Calendar
          • Public access to appeal proceedings
          • Public access to opposition proceedings
          • Technical guidelines
      • Appeals
      • Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Unitary Patent
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Legal framework
          • Main features
          • Applying for a Unitary Patent
          • Cost of a Unitary Patent
          • Translation and compensation
          • Start date
          • Introductory brochures
        • Unified Patent Court
      • National validation
      • Extension/validation request
    • International route
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Euro-PCT Guide
      • Entry into the European phase
      • Decisions and notices
      • PCT provisions and resources
      • Extension/validation request
      • Reinforced partnership programme
      • Accelerating your PCT application
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
        • Go back
        • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme outline
      • Training and events
    • National route
    • MyEPO services
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Understand our services
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Exchange data with us using an API
          • Go back
          • Release notes
      • Get access
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Release notes
      • File with us
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • What if our online filing services are down?
        • Release notes
      • Interact with us on your files
        • Go back
        • Release notes
      • Online Filing & fee payment outages
    • Fees
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European fees (EPC)
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Decisions and notices
      • International fees (PCT)
        • Go back
        • Reduction in fees
        • Fees for international applications
        • Decisions and notices
        • Overview
      • Unitary Patent fees (UP)
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Decisions and notices
      • Fee payment and refunds
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Payment methods
        • Getting started
        • FAQs and other documentation
        • Technical information for batch payments
        • Decisions and notices
        • Release notes
      • Warning
    • Forms
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Request for examination
    • Find a professional representative
  • Law & practice
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Legal texts
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Convention
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Documentation on the EPC revision 2000
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Diplomatic Conference for the revision of the EPC
            • Travaux préparatoires
            • New text
            • Transitional provisions
            • Implementing regulations to the EPC 2000
            • Rules relating to Fees
            • Ratifications and accessions
          • Travaux Préparatoires EPC 1973
      • Official Journal
      • Guidelines
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • EPC Guidelines
        • PCT-EPO Guidelines
        • Unitary Patent Guidelines
        • Guidelines revision cycle
        • Consultation results
        • Summary of user responses
        • Archive
      • Extension / validation system
      • London Agreement
      • National law relating to the EPC
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
      • Unitary Patent system
        • Go back
        • Travaux préparatoires to UP and UPC
      • National measures relating to the Unitary Patent 
    • Court practices
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Judges' Symposium
    • User consultations
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Ongoing consultations
      • Completed consultations
    • Substantive patent law harmonisation
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Group B+
    • Convergence of practice
    • Options for professional representatives
  • News & events
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • European Inventor Award
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • The meaning of tomorrow
      • About the award
      • Categories and prizes
      • Meet the inventors
      • Nominations
      • European Inventor Network
        • Go back
        • 2024 activities
        • 2025 activities
        • Rules and criteria
        • FAQ
      • The 2024 event
    • Young Inventors Prize
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • About the prize
      • Nominations
      • The jury
      • The world, reimagined
      • The 2025 event
    • Press centre
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent Index and statistics
      • Search in press centre
      • Background information
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • European Patent Office
        • Q&A on patents related to coronavirus
        • Q&A on plant patents
      • Copyright
      • Press contacts
      • Call back form
      • Email alert service
    • In focus
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Water-related technologies
      • CodeFest
        • Go back
        • CodeFest Spring 2025 on classifying patent data for sustainable development
        • Overview
        • CodeFest 2024 on generative AI
        • CodeFest 2023 on Green Plastics
      • Green tech in focus
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About green tech
        • Renewable energies
        • Energy transition technologies
        • Building a greener future
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Lifestyle
      • Space and satellites
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Patents and space technologies
      • Healthcare
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Medical technologies and cancer
        • Personalised medicine
      • Materials science
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Nanotechnology
      • Mobile communications
      • Biotechnology
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Red, white or green
        • The role of the EPO
        • What is patentable?
        • Biotech inventors
      • Classification
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Nanotechnology
        • Climate change mitigation technologies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • External partners
          • Updates on Y02 and Y04S
      • Digital technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About ICT
        • Hardware and software
        • Patents and standards
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Fourth Industrial Revolution
      • Additive manufacturing
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About AM
        • AM innovation
      • Books by EPO experts
    • Podcast
  • Learning
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Learning activities and paths
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Learning activities: types and formats
      • Learning paths
    • EQE and EPAC
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • EQE - European Qualifying Examination
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Compendium
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Paper F
          • Paper A
          • Paper B
          • Paper C
          • Paper D
          • Pre-examination
        • Candidates successful in the European qualifying examination
        • Archive
      • EPAC - European patent administration certification
      • CSP – Candidate Support Programme
    • Learning resources by area of interest
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent granting
      • Technology transfer and dissemination
      • Patent enforcement and litigation
    • Learning resources by profile
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Business and IP managers
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Innovation case studies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • SME case studies
          • Technology transfer case studies
          • High-growth technology case studies
        • Inventor's handbook
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Introduction
          • Disclosure and confidentiality
          • Novelty and prior art
          • Competition and market potential
          • Assessing the risk ahead
          • Proving the invention
          • Protecting your idea
          • Building a team and seeking funding
          • Business planning
          • Finding and approaching companies
          • Dealing with companies
        • Best of search matters
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Tools and databases
          • EPO procedures and initiatives
          • Search strategies
          • Challenges and specific topics
        • Support for high-growth technology businesses
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Business decision-makers
          • IP professionals
          • Stakeholders of the Innovation Ecosystem
      • EQE and EPAC Candidates
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Paper F brain-teasers
        • Daily D questions
        • European qualifying examination - Guide for preparation
        • EPAC
      • Judges, lawyers and prosecutors
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Compulsory licensing in Europe
        • The jurisdiction of European courts in patent disputes
      • National offices and IP authorities
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Learning material for examiners of national officers
        • Learning material for formalities officers and paralegals
      • Patent attorneys and paralegals
      • Universities, research centres and TTOs
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Modular IP Education Framework (MIPEF)
        • Pan-European Seal Young Professionals Programme
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • For students
          • For universities
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • IP education resources
            • University memberships
          • Our young professionals
          • Professional development plan
        • Academic Research Programme
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Completed research projects
          • Current research projects
        • IP Teaching Kit
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Download modules
        • Intellectual property course design manual
        • PATLIB Knowledge Transfer to Africa
          • Go back
          • The PATLIB Knowledge Transfer to Africa initiative (KT2A)
          • KT2A core activities
          • Success story: Malawi University of Science and Technology and PATLIB Birmingham
  • About us
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • The EPO at a glance
    • 50 years of the EPC
      • Go back
      • Official celebrations
      • Overview
      • Member states’ video statements
        • Go back
        • Albania
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Cyprus
        • Czech Republic
        • Denmark
        • Estonia
        • Finland
        • France
        • Germany
        • Greece
        • Hungary
        • Iceland
        • Ireland
        • Italy
        • Latvia
        • Liechtenstein
        • Lithuania
        • Luxembourg
        • Malta
        • Monaco
        • Montenegro
        • Netherlands
        • North Macedonia
        • Norway
        • Poland
        • Portugal
        • Romania
        • San Marino
        • Serbia
        • Slovakia
        • Slovenia
        • Spain
        • Sweden
        • Switzerland
        • Türkiye
        • United Kingdom
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
      • Athens Marathon
      • Kids’ collaborative art competition
    • Legal foundations and member states
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Legal foundations
      • Member states
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Member states by date of accession
      • Extension states
      • Validation states
    • Administrative Council and subsidiary bodies
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Communiqués
        • Go back
        • 2024
        • Overview
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
      • Calendar
      • Documents and publications
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Select Committee documents
      • Administrative Council
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Composition
        • Representatives
        • Rules of Procedure
        • Board of Auditors
        • Secretariat
        • Council bodies
    • Principles & strategy
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Mission, vision, values & corporate policy
      • Strategic Plan 2028
        • Go back
        • Driver 1: People
        • Driver 2: Technologies
        • Driver 3: High-quality, timely products and services
        • Driver 4: Partnerships
        • Driver 5: Financial sustainability
      • Towards a New Normal
      • Data protection & privacy notice
    • Leadership & management
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • About the President
      • Management Advisory Committee
    • Sustainability at the EPO
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Environmental
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Inspiring environmental inventions
      • Social
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Inspiring social inventions
      • Governance and Financial sustainability
    • Procurement
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Procurement forecast
      • Doing business with the EPO
      • Procurement procedures
      • Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) publications
      • Sustainable Procurement Policy
      • About eTendering
      • Invoicing
      • Procurement portal
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • e-Signing contracts
      • General conditions
      • Archived tenders
    • Services & activities
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Our services & structure
      • Quality
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Foundations
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • European Patent Convention
          • Guidelines for examination
          • Our staff
        • Enabling quality
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Prior art
          • Classification
          • Tools
          • Processes
        • Products & services
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Search
          • Examination
          • Opposition
          • Continuous improvement
        • Quality through networking
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • User engagement
          • Co-operation
          • User satisfaction survey
          • Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels
        • Patent Quality Charter
        • Quality Action Plan
        • Quality dashboard
        • Statistics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Search
          • Examination
          • Opposition
        • Integrated management at the EPO
      • Consulting our users
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Standing Advisory Committee before the EPO (SACEPO)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Objectives
          • SACEPO and its working parties
          • Meetings
          • Single Access Portal – SACEPO Area
        • Surveys
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Detailed methodology
          • Search services
          • Examination services, final actions and publication
          • Opposition services
          • Formalities services
          • Customer services
          • Filing services
          • Key Account Management (KAM)
          • Website
          • Archive
      • Our user service charter
      • European and international co-operation
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Co-operation with member states
          • Go back
          • Overview
        • Bilateral co-operation with non-member states
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Validation system
          • Reinforced Partnership programme
        • Multilateral international co-operation with IP offices and organisations
        • Co-operation with international organisations outside the IP system
      • European Patent Academy
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Partners
      • Chief Economist
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Economic studies
      • Ombuds Office
      • Reporting wrongdoing
    • Observatory on Patents and Technology
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • About the Observatory
      • Our activities
      • Our topics
      • Our partners and networks
      • Financing innovation programme
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Our studies on the financing of innovation
        • EPO initiatives for patent applicants
        • Financial support for innovators in Europe
      • Digital library
      • Data desk
        • Go back
        • Overview
    • Transparency portal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • General
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Annual Review 2023
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Foreword
          • Executive summary
          • 50 years of the EPC
          • Strategic key performance indicators
          • Goal 1: Engaged and empowered
          • Goal 2: Digital transformation
          • Goal 3: Master quality
          • Goal 4: Partner for positive impact
          • Goal 5: Secure sustainability
        • Annual Review 2022
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Foreword
          • Executive summary
          • Goal 1: Engaged and empowered
          • Goal 2: Digital transformation
          • Goal 3: Master quality
          • Goal 4: Partner for positive impact
          • Goal 5: Secure sustainability
      • Human
      • Environmental
      • Organisational
      • Social and relational
      • Economic
      • Governance
    • Statistics and trends
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • Patent Index 2024
        • Go back
        • Insight into computer technology and AI
        • Insight into clean energy technologies
        • Statistics and indicators
          • Go back
          • European patent applications
            • Go back
            • Key trend
            • Origin
            • Top 10 technical fields
              • Go back
              • Computer technology
              • Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
              • Digital communication
              • Medical technology
              • Transport
              • Measurement
              • Biotechnology
              • Pharmaceuticals
              • Other special machines
              • Organic fine chemistry
            • All technical fields
          • Applicants
            • Go back
            • Top 50
            • Categories
            • Women inventors
          • Granted patents
            • Go back
            • Key trend
            • Origin
            • Designations
      • Data to download
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • History
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010s
      • 2020s
    • Art collection
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • The collection
      • Let's talk about art
      • Artists
      • Media library
      • What's on
      • Publications
      • Contact
      • Culture Space A&T 5-10
        • Go back
        • Catalyst lab & Deep vision
          • Go back
          • Irene Sauter (DE)
          • AVPD (DK)
          • Jan Robert Leegte (NL)
          • Jānis Dzirnieks (LV) #1
          • Jānis Dzirnieks (LV) #2
          • Péter Szalay (HU)
          • Thomas Feuerstein (AT)
          • Tom Burr (US)
          • Wolfgang Tillmans (DE)
          • TerraPort
          • Unfinished Sculpture - Captives #1
          • Deep vision – immersive exhibition
          • Previous exhibitions
        • The European Patent Journey
        • Sustaining life. Art in the climate emergency
        • Next generation statements
        • Open storage
        • Cosmic bar
      • "Long Night"
  • Boards of Appeal
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Decisions of the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Recent decisions
      • Selected decisions
    • Information from the Boards of Appeal
    • Procedure
    • Oral proceedings
    • About the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • President of the Boards of Appeal
      • Enlarged Board of Appeal
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Pending referrals (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Decisions sorted by number (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Pending petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
        • Decisions on petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
      • Technical Boards of Appeal
      • Legal Board of Appeal
      • Disciplinary Board of Appeal
      • Presidium
        • Go back
        • Overview
    • Code of Conduct
    • Business distribution scheme
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Technical boards of appeal by IPC in 2025
      • Archive
    • Annual list of cases
    • Communications
    • Annual reports
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • Publications
      • Go back
      • Abstracts of decisions
    • Case Law of the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Archive
  • Service & support
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Website updates
    • Availability of online services
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • FAQ
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • Publications
    • Ordering
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent Knowledge Products and Services
      • Terms and conditions
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Patent information products
        • Bulk data sets
        • Open Patent Services (OPS)
        • Fair use charter
    • Procedural communications
    • Useful links
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent offices of member states
      • Other patent offices
      • Directories of patent attorneys
      • Patent databases, registers and gazettes
      • Disclaimer
    • Contact us
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Filing options
      • Locations
    • Subscription centre
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Subscribe
      • Change preferences
      • Unsubscribe
    • Official holidays
    • Glossary
    • RSS feeds
Board of Appeals
Decisions

Recent decisions

Overview
  • 2025 decisions
  • 2024 decisions
  • 2023 decisions
  1. Home
  2. T 1064/15 23-04-2018
Facebook X Linkedin Email

T 1064/15 23-04-2018

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2018:T106415.20180423
Date of decision
23 April 2018
Case number
T 1064/15
Petition for review of
-
Application number
10011872.8
IPC class
A61B 17/04
A61B 17/06
B26D 3/08
Language of proceedings
EN
Distribution
NO DISTRIBUTION (D)

Download and more information:

Decision in EN 411.29 KB
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the European Patent Register
Bibliographic information is available in:
EN
Versions
Unpublished
Application title

Barbed suture

Applicant name
Quill Medical, Inc.
Opponent name
ITV Denkendorf Produktservice GmbH
Board
3.2.02
Headnote
-
Relevant legal provisions
European Patent Convention Art 56
European Patent Convention Art 100(a)
European Patent Convention Art 100(b)
Keywords

Main request - sufficiency of disclosure - (no)

Auxiliary request - inventive step (yes)

Catchword
-
Cited decisions
T 0014/83
T 0815/07
T 1034/12
Citing decisions
T 1128/22
T 1738/17
T 1756/16

I. The appeal of the opponent is directed against the interlocutory decision of the Opposition Division posted on 11 March 2015 that, account being taken of the amendments according to the main request made by the proprietor during the opposition proceedings, the patent and the invention to which it relates meet the requirements of the EPC.

II. Notice of appeal was filed on 19 May 2015, and the appeal fee was paid on the same day. The statement of grounds of appeal was filed on 21 July 2015.

III. Oral proceedings were held on 23 April 2018.

The appellant-opponent requested that the decision under appeal be set aside and that the patent be revoked.

The respondent-patent proprietor requested that the appeal be dismissed or, in the alternative, that the decision under appeal be set aside and that the patent be maintained on the basis of auxiliary request 1 filed with a letter dated 23 March 2018.

IV. The following documents are cited in the decision:

E1: GB-A-1091282

E2: US-A-5306288

V. The arguments of the appellant-opponent and of the respondent patent-proprietor where relevant for the decision are summarised in more detail in the corresponding parts of the reasons for the decision.

Concerning sufficiency of disclosure in relation to the main request, the respondent-patent proprietor essentially considered that paragraph [0024] of the patent gave a definition of the diameter of non-circular cross-sections, that it was easy to measure the defined dimension with a micrometre and that, since the claim covered circular and non-circular cross-sections, the requirements for sufficiency were satisfied anyway because it was possible to carry out the invention for circular cross-sections, as this was the case for needles the cross-section of which was not specified.

Concerning inventive step in relation to the auxiliary request, the appellant-opponent essentially considered that the suture of E1 was circular in shape since it was twisted during manufacturing and that the use of common sense alone along with commercially available needles (illustrated by E2) when carrying out the invention of E1 led to the subject-matter of claim 1 in an obvious way.

VI. Claim 1 as considered allowable by the opposition division and corresponding to the version according to the patent as granted reads as follows:

"A barbed suture (S1...S4) for connecting human or animal tissue in combination with a surgical needle (N1...N4), said combination comprising a barbed suture attached to a surgical needle,

wherein the suture comprises a plurality of barbs projecting from an elongated body having a first end and a second end and a diameter (SD1...SD4) of a circular or non-circular cross section in the range of from about 0.001 mm to about 1 mm, each barb facing in a direction and being adapted for resisting movement of the suture, when in tissue, in an opposite direction from the direction in which the barb faces,

and wherein the surgical needle has a diameter (D1...D4) with a ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the elongated body diameter of up to 3:1,

characterised in that

the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the elongated body diameter is not lower than 1.47:1."

VII. Claim 1 according to auxiliary request 1 reads as follows:

"A barbed suture (S1...S4) for connecting human or animal tissue in combination with a surgical needle (N1...N4), said combination comprising a barbed suture attached to a surgical needle,

wherein the suture comprises a plurality of barbs projecting from an elongated body having a first end and a second end and a diameter (SD1 ...SD4) of a circular cross section in the range of from about 0.001 mm to about 1 mm, each barb facing in a direction and being adapted for resisting movement of the suture, when in tissue, in an opposite direction from the direction in which the barb faces,

and wherein the surgical needle has a diameter (D1...D4) with a ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the elongated body diameter of up to 3:1,

characterised in that

the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the elongated body diameter is not lower than 1.47:1."

1. The appeal is admissible.

2. The invention

The invention relates to a barbed suture-needle combination useful for connecting body tissue in various surgical contexts, and more particularly to optimisation of the wound closure strength (paragraph [0010]), for which purpose the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the diameter of the elongated body of barbed suture has to fall within a predetermined range.

FORMULA/TABLE/GRAPHIC

3. Main request - sufficiency of disclosure

3.1 In order for this ground for opposition to prejudice the maintenance of the patent in suit it must be established that the European patent does not disclose the invention in a manner sufficiently clear and complete for it to be carried out by a person skilled in the art. The person skilled in the art must be able to carry out the invention on the basis of the patent as a whole (T 14/83) without undue burden, possibly using his common general knowledge.

3.2 Claim 1 requires the diameter (SD) of the elongated body to be within a first specified range of values and requires the ratio of the surgical needle diameter (D) to the elongated body diameter (SD) to be within a second specified range of values, whereby the elongated body can have a circular or non-circular cross section.

While these requirements can be implemented for circular cross-sections, when trying to carry out the claimed invention using elongated bodies with non-circular cross-sections the question arises of which dimension of a non-circular cross-section must be considered to be its diameter.

3.3 In the present case, the wording of claim 1 requires the diameter of the elongated body to be taken into account, but does not specify how it should be defined; so it is not possible to deduce any definition of the diameter of a non-circular cross-section from the claim wording itself.

It follows that it must be examined whether any information relating to the definition of the diameter for non-circular cross-sections can be found in or inferred from the description and figures of the patent in suit.

3.4 In the description of the patent only paragraphs [0023] and [0024] deal with non-circular cross-sections.

In paragraph [0023] of the patent it is explained that:

"Although the sutures are described below in a preferred embodiment with a circular cross section, the sutures according to the present invention have a non-circular cross sectional shape that increases the surface area and facilitate the formation of the barbs. Cross sectional shapes may include, but are not limited to, oval, triangle, square, parallelogram, trapezoid, rhomboid, pentagon, hexagon, cruciform, and the like. Typically, barbs are cut into a polymeric filament that has been formed by extrusion using a die with a circular cross section, and thus, the cross section of the filament will be circular, as that is what results during such extrusion. However, extrusion dies can be custom made with any desired cross-sectional shape."

While this paragraph explains that non-circular cross-sections are used instead of the circular ones presented in the preferred embodiments, and that these shapes may be manufactured with suitable extrusion dies, there is no indication as to which dimension of the non-circular cross-section is important or not.

Of the two paragraphs, only [0024] deals with the definition of the term "diameter", reading as follows:

"Hence, the term "diameter" as used here is intended to mean the transverse length of the cross section, regardless of whether the cross section is circular or some other shape." (emphasis added)

The word "hence" normally introduces a logical consequence of what was set out before, which would mean that the logical consequence of using circular and non-circular cross-sections would be that the "transverse length of the cross section" should be considered as the diameter. However, in the present case this logical conclusion does not help, since there is no indication in this sentence as to which "length" should be considered or how and/or in relation to what that length should be "transverse"; and that definition is not a generally accepted one for which no further explanation would be necessary.

Even when considering the examples of non-circular cross-sections given in paragraph [0023], namely oval, triangle, square, parallelogram, trapezoid, rhomboid, pentagon, hexagon, cruciform, it does not become clearer what the "transverse length of the cross section" could be in all these cases. A multitude of "transverse" segments, each having a length, can be defined for any of the shapes above. It is, however, far from clear which one should be used for the ratio defined in the claim. For instance, in the case of a parallelogram the transverse length could be the "width", the "length", the "diagonal" or any other segment length.

Hence, in the Board's view, paragraph [0024] is not in itself sufficient to define unequivocally what this transverse length of the cross-section should be.

3.5 Moreover, none of the embodiments presented in the detailed description and/or shown in the figures exhibits a non-circular cross-section of the elongated body; so the person skilled in the art cannot find any teaching in these elements which would help him to understand the meaning of the definition in paragraph [0024].

3.6 The respondent-patent proprietor considered that in the English language the word "length" designated the greater of two or the greatest of three dimensions of a body and therefore this word in paragraph [0024] had that same meaning, and would indeed have to be understood as the greatest dimension of the cross-section.

The Board does not share this view. Even if this definition is true, in itself it does not define how it should be applied in particular in relation to a diameter and/or in specific cases, as for example with a cruciform shape or a hexagon to name only two of the shapes mentioned in paragraph [0023].

Moreover, the definition in paragraph [0024] does not refer to the "length" of the cross-section, but to the "transverse length" of the cross-section. What the word "transverse" is supposed to mean in this context is not defined in any way with reference to the general definition of the word "length" in English language. Should "transverse" mean any line joining one point of a boundary to any other point of the boundary, or should it mean only the lines starting perpendicularly to any tangent to a boundary point and joining the other side of the boundary, or something else again? This remains undefined.

3.7 The respondent-patent proprietor further considered that the person skilled in the art could take a micrometre and measure all the dimensions of the cross-section, and if all fell within the specified range the suture would fulfil the requirements of the claim, which meant that he was able to carry out embodiments with a suture having an elongated body with a non-circular cross-section falling under the wording of claim 1.

The Board does not share this view. An invention is a way to solve a particular problem. In the present case, as indicated above, the invention of the patent in suit aims at achieving a closure strength better than in the state of the art by using a specific barbed suture, with a particular ratio of needle diameter to diameter of the elongated body. Corresponding tests with circular cross-section elongated bodies are presented in paragraphs [0159] to [0176].

However, as already explained, in the suture-needle combination claimed in the patent in suit the suture can also have any non-circular cross-section; so in such a case the person skilled in the art is faced with the undefined parameter "diameter (SD)" in the definition of the ratio to be respected and consequently does not know how to choose the cross-section in order to obtain the desired technical effect. For the conditions of sufficiency of disclosure to be fulfilled it is not enough to be able to manufacture an object falling under the wording of a claim. That object must also exhibit the alleged or desired technical effect obtained with that invention (T 815/07). In the present case the person skilled in the art is left alone with that undefined parameter for an essential part of the scope of the claim, since there is no single non-circular shape for which he knows which dimension the "transverse length" should be. In other words, he is left with the question not only of how to measure the "diameter (SD)" but also, more fundamentally, of what to measure in order to obtain the desired technical effect.

3.8 The respondent-patent proprietor further considered that since the wording of the claim required circular and non-circular cross-sections of the elongated body of the suture, this was equivalent to mentioning no specific shape for the cross-section. In such a case it was obvious that the requirements of sufficiency of disclosure were fulfilled because needle-suture combinations having an elongated body of circular cross-section and fulfilling the teaching of the patent could easily be carried out. The application of the teaching of the patent to non-circular cross-sections was in that case only a question of an ambiguity being present in the specification. The situation was similar to that of the needle; the dimension representing the diameter of the needle was not questioned, although in that case only the general word "diameter" was used.

The Board does not share this opinion either. The respondent-patent proprietor voluntarily specified in the description of the patent (paragraphs [0023] and [0024]) and in claim 1 that the cross-section of the elongated body forming the suture could be circular or non-circular. In other words, the respondent-patent proprietor himself intended the teaching of the patent to be applicable to both circular and non-circular cross-sections and specifically sought protection for both types of embodiment. Moreover, it should be noted that the field of non-circular cross-sections is far wider than that of circular ones, since it encompasses an enormous variety of shapes (some of them being cited in paragraph [0023]). This makes it even more important to know how the key parameter of such shapes, namely the diameter, is determined. In such a context, it would be insufficient and disproportionate if the sole disclosed possibility of carrying out the invention with circular cross-section elongated bodies were enough to satisfy the requirements of sufficiency of disclosure. Such an approach cannot have been intended by the legislator, because in the Board's view this would go against the general principle that the protection obtained with the patent has to be commensurate with the disclosed teaching. As explained above, when it comes to non-circular cross-sections, this is not the case for the patent in suit.

The fact that for the diameter of the needle, also mentioned in the claim, the word "diameter" is used without any more precise wording does not change the above finding. On the contrary, on a fair reading of the claim, this simply means that the diameter of the needle was not intended to fall under the definition of the diameter used for the elongated body and, hence, falls within the normal definition of a diameter, namely the length of a line passing through the centre of a circle and joining two opposite points of it. Or, in other words, since nothing more precise is mentioned, neither in the claim nor in the description, the cross-section of the needle is usual, i.e. circular.

3.9 Hence, the ground for opposition under Article 100(b) EPC prejudices the maintenance of the patent as granted, because on the basis of the patent disclosure as a whole, taking common general knowledge into account, the person skilled in the art is not able to determine which dimension is meant by the diameter (SD) for an essential part of the claim, or in other words, with a needle having a given diameter, he does not know how to select the cross-section dimension of a non-circular suture in order to improve the closure strength, which was supposed to be an essential part of the teaching of the patent in suit. This is in line with decision T 1034/12 of this Board concerning non-circular sutures.

4. Auxiliary request 1 - inventive step

4.1 The appellant-opponent considered that the subject-matter of claim 1 was not inventive starting from E1 in view of E2.

E1 disclosed a needle-suture combination according to the first part of claim 1. In particular, although Figure 12 showed a cruciform cross-section, since according to page 4, lines 7 to 9, the suture was twisted to produce a long spiral the final cross-section had to be considered circular in shape, which was also confirmed by the general wording of claim 1 of E1. Moreover, this document recommended the use of fine needles in combination with the barbed suture disclosed there (page 3, lines 109 to 111; page 4, lines 37 to 39). The subject-matter of claim 1 was not inventive in view of the general technical considerations to be applied when manufacturing a barbed suture-needle combination. The needle had to be thick enough to allow the barbed suture to be drawn through the channel created in the tissue by the needle, and this channel had not to be too large so as not to cause more damage than necessary to the patient's tissue and also so as to permit the anchoring of the barbs in the tissue. Between these self-evident limits the person skilled in the art had to choose the adapted needle from among the limited number of commercially available ones. These commercially available ones were for instance listed in E2. There could be no inventive step in choosing fine needles among such a limited number of available ones. As could be seen from tables 13A and 13B, the respondent-patent proprietor also chose precisely the same needles as mentioned in table I in E2.

4.2 The first part of claim 1 stipulates that "the suture comprises a plurality of barbs projecting from an elongated body having a first end and a second end and a diameter (SD1 ...SD4) of a circular cross section". In the Board's opinion this means that the elongated body forming the suture core element has to have a circular cross-section and that the barbs have to project from this body of circular cross-section. This wording does not cover a suture having part of it of circular cross-section without barbs and part of it of a different cross-section but with the barbs projecting from it. However, the latter is precisely the case with the suture-needle combination disclosed in E1. Indeed, as explained starting on page 3, line 128: "The suture is made from drawn monofilament nylon of circular cross section 23 (shown in a dashed line in Figure 12) which is rolled to produce a monofilament of cruciform cross section as shown in Figure 12.

FORMULA/TABLE/GRAPHIC

The ribs 43 of the cross are so cut by either a simple angled cut or a 'V' shaped cut 42 to produce a series of barbs 44, which are distorted or bent outwards to make the slender barbs 44 more prominent. The suture is finally twisted in its longitudinal axis to produce a long spiral."

Even if the suture is twisted at the end of the manufacturing process, the shape of the section of the portion with the barbs will remain the same, namely a cruciform cross-section. The circular cross-section of the elongated body of the claim mentioned above is therefore not disclosed in E1. The more general wording of claim 1 of E1 cannot change this finding, since such a general disclosure does not disclose the specific circular shape.

4.3 Therefore the subject-matter of claim 1 differs from the suture-needle combination according to E1 in that (i) the barbs are formed on an elongated body having a circular cross-section and (ii) the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the elongated body diameter is chosen to fall between 1.47:1 and 3:1.

4.4 (i) The appellant-opponent did not explain why in its opinion the person skilled in the art would abandon the cruciform cross-section of the elongated body and choose a circular cross-section. The Board does not see any reason for this either. In particular, since, as explained in the paragraph reproduced above, the ribs of the cross are used to produce the barbs 44, it would seem contrary to the teaching of this document to abandon this shape favourable for manufacturing.

For that reason alone, the subject-matter of claim 1 is inventive.

4.5 (ii) Moreover, while E1 mentions the use of fine needles, it not only does not define what kind of needles are considered to be fine, but also and more importantly it does not hint at the importance of the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the elongated body diameter in relation to the wound closure strength, which is the main teaching of the patent in suit. Therefore, the person skilled in the art starting from the suture of E1 with a given diameter would not be prompted to choose a needle diameter which satisfies the mentioned condition of the claim.

Document E2 does not change this finding, since not only is it about sutures without barbs, such that it is already questionable whether the person skilled in the art would consult it, but more importantly it cannot suggest what it does not disclose, namely that the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the elongated body diameter is of relevance to the closure strength and should be chosen to fall within the range of claim 1.

4.6 Therefore, the subject-matter of claim 1 is inventive pursuant to Article 56 EPC in view of the cited documents, and so the ground for opposition pursuant to Article 100(a) EPC does not prejudice the maintenance of the patent on the basis of auxiliary request 1.

5. The Board is satisfied that the description has been adapted to the claims according to auxiliary request 1.

Order

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The case is remitted to the department of first instance with the order to maintain the patent on the basis of:

claims 1 to 11 of auxiliary request 1 as filed with the letter dated 23 March 2018;

description:

. pages 1 to 3 and 5 to 24 of the patent as granted and;

. page 4 as filed during the oral proceedings; and

. figures according to pages 28 to 35 of the patent as granted.

Footer - Service & support
  • Service & support
    • Website updates
    • Availability of online services
    • FAQ
    • Publications
    • Procedural communications
    • Contact us
    • Subscription centre
    • Official holidays
    • Glossary
Footer - More links
  • Jobs & careers
  • Press centre
  • Single Access Portal
  • Procurement
  • Boards of Appeal
Facebook
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
Instagram
EuropeanPatentOffice
Linkedin
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
EPO Procurement
X (formerly Twitter)
EPOorg
EPOjobs
Youtube
TheEPO
Footer
  • Legal notice
  • Terms of use
  • Data protection and privacy
  • Accessibility