European Patent Office

T 0470/91 (Unity) of 11.05.1992

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:1992:T047091.19920511
Date of decision
11 May 1992
Case number
T 0470/91
Petition for review of
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Application number
86306769.0
IPC class
C07D 213/64
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)
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Other decisions for this case
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Abstracts for this decision
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Application title
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Applicant name
ICI
Opponent name
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Board
3.3.01
Headnote

1. An invention relating to novel intermediates and novel end products has unity if the intermediates oriented towards the final products are sufficiently closely technically related thereto by the contribution of an essential structural element to the end products and if the regulatory provisions of Article 82 EPC are safeguarded.

2. This is also valid if the intermediates belong to two groups of compounds with different basic structures (decisions T 110/82 "Benzyl esters", OJ EPO 1983, 274, T 57/82 "Copolycarbonates", OJ EPO 1982, 306, and T 35/87 "Hydroxypyrazoles", OJ EPO 1988, 134, followed and extended).

Keywords
Unity of inventions relating to intermediates and final products
Single inventive concept - structural relationship between intermediates unnecessary
Reimbursement of appeal fee (no)
Catchword
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Cited cases
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Citing cases
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ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The case is remitted to the first instance for further prosecution on the basis of the claims annexed to the decision under appeal.

3. The request for reimbursement of the appeal fee is rejected.