T 0237/84 (Reference signs) of 31.07.1986
- European Case Law Identifier
- ECLI:EP:BA:1986:T023784.19860731
- Date of decision
- 31 July 1986
- Case number
- T 0237/84
- Petition for review of
- -
- Application number
- 81200098.2
- IPC class
- G11B 5/52
- Language of proceedings
- English
- Distribution
- Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)
- Download
- Decision in English
- Other decisions for this case
- -
- Abstracts for this decision
- -
- Application title
- -
- Applicant name
- Philips
- Opponent name
- -
- Board
- 3.5.01
- Headnote
1. The purpose of reference signs in a claim (Rule 29(7) EPC) is to make the claims easier for all to understand. They do not limit the scope of the claim but they do affect its clarity and may enable it to be expressed more concisely than would otherwise be possible (Article 84 EPC).
2. Inclusion in the description of a European patent application of a statement as to the purpose of inclusion of such reference signs is not "obviously irrelevant or unnecessary", such as to be prohibited matter within the meaning of Rule 34(1)(c) EPC, when there is a possibility - albeit remote - that a national Court in a designated State might regard the claims as limited by the inclusion of such reference signs, in the absence of such a statement.
- Relevant legal provisions
- European Patent Convention Art 69(1) 1973European Patent Convention Art 84 1973European Patent Convention R 29(1) 1973European Patent Convention R 29(6) 1973European Patent Convention R 29(7) 1973European Patent Convention R 86(3) 1973
- Keywords
- Reference signs in claims
- Catchword
- -
- Cited cases
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ORDER
For these reasons, it is decided that:
1. The decision of the Examining Division dated 9 May 1984 is set aside.
2. The case is remitted to the Examining Division with the order to grant the European patent applied for on the basis of the following documents: (a) Description as referred to in the advance Communication under Rules 51(4) and (5) EPC dated 4 August 1983 subject to the following amendments: i) amendments listed on page 2, lines 16-21, of the Appellant's representative's letter dated 15 October 1985, ii) new page 12 (to replace previous page 12) accompanying the Appellant's representative's letter dated 15 November 1985,
iii) Statement submitted with the said letter of 15 November 1985 (to be inserted at the end of page 39 of the description as the final paragraph thereof), (b) Drawings as referred to in the said advance Communication, (c) Claims 1-13 as referred to in the said advance Communication.