T 0331/87 (Removal of feature) of 06.07.1989
- European Case Law Identifier
- ECLI:EP:BA:1989:T033187.19890706
- Date of decision
- 6 July 1989
- Case number
- T 0331/87
- Petition for review of
- -
- Application number
- 79103198.2
- IPC class
- B21D 28/24B23K 26/00
- 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
- Houdaille
- Opponent name
- Voest-Alpine
- Board
- 3.2.02
- Headnote
The replacement or removal of a feature from a claim may not violate Article 123(2) EPC provided the skilled person would directly and unambiguously recognise that (1) the feature was not explained as essential in the disclosure, (2) it is not, as such, indispensable for the function of the invention in the light of the technical problem it serves to solve, and (3) the replacement or removal requires no real modification of other features to compensate for the change (cf. point 6 of the Reasons; following Decision T 260/85, "Coaxial connector/AMP" OJ EPO 1989, 105).
- Relevant legal provisions
- European Patent Convention Art 100(c) 1973European Patent Convention Art 123(2) 1973
- Keywords
- Amendment during prosecution
Deletion of inessential feature allowed - Catchword
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- Cited cases
- -
- Citing cases
- T 0136/88T 0527/88T 0392/89T 0060/90T 0147/90T 0225/90T 0386/90T 0685/90T 0688/90T 0691/90T 0860/90T 0064/91T 0319/91T 0553/91T 0269/92T 0441/92T 0545/92T 0623/92T 0758/92T 0374/93T 0673/93T 0058/94T 0542/94T 0592/94T 0396/95T 0482/95T 0625/95T 0763/95T 0052/96T 0290/96T 0442/96T 0487/96T 0538/96T 0604/96T 0965/96T 0518/97T 0740/97T 1074/97T 1221/97T 0221/98T 0765/98T 1040/98T 0320/99T 0329/99T 0473/99T 0695/99T 0713/99T 0764/99T 1103/99T 0743/00T 1057/00T 0220/01T 0445/01T 0746/01T 0892/01T 1082/01T 1227/01T 0284/02T 0720/02T 0797/02T 1158/02T 0241/03T 0404/03T 0910/03T 1202/03T 0238/04T 0262/04T 0958/04T 1227/04T 0690/05T 1291/05T 1562/05T 0020/06T 0308/06T 1091/06T 0405/07T 0465/07T 0708/07T 0765/07T 0775/07T 1054/07T 1140/07T 1785/07T 1866/07T 0239/08T 0407/08T 0800/08T 1920/08T 2135/08T 2202/08T 0209/09T 0582/09T 0689/09T 0795/09T 1600/09T 2285/09T 2330/09T 0207/10T 0405/10T 0648/10T 0747/10T 1118/10T 1643/10T 2282/10T 2311/10T 1345/11T 1840/11T 2347/11T 2561/11T 0219/12T 0755/12T 1137/12T 2095/12T 2599/12T 1852/13T 1151/14T 1461/14T 1462/14T 0553/15T 1420/15T 1472/15T 0085/16T 0515/16T 0830/16T 0833/16T 1189/16T 1365/16T 2351/16T 0437/17T 1257/17T 1588/18T 1736/18T 1193/19T 1529/19T 2432/19T 2467/22T 0365/24
ORDER
For these reasons, it is decided that:
1. The decision under appeal is set aside.
2. The opposition is rejected.