European Patent Office

T 0970/93 of 15.03.1996

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:1996:T097093.19960315
Date of decision
15 March 1996
Case number
T 0970/93
Petition for review of
-
Application number
86102364.6
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Other decisions for this case
-
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
Continuous multi-stand mill plant for rolling steel plates
Applicant name
NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
Opponent name
Siemens AG
SMS Schloemann-Siemag AG
Board
3.2.01
Headnote
-
Keywords
Prior use - late filed - substantiation
Novelty - main request - (no)
Costs apportionment - oral proceedings - (yes)
Decision re-appeals - remittal (yes)
Catchword
I. Allegations based solely on suspicion cannot reasonably be expected to form a valid ground for throwing doubt on the credibility of evidence (reasons point 2.8).
II. When applying the principle of the balance of probabilities in respect of the substantiation of an alleged prior use, it can be reasonably assumed that an essential feature of an industrial plant, which is visited by the public, has been made available to that public (reasons 2.9).

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The respondent's main request is rejected.

3. The case is remitted to the first instance for further prosecution on the basis of the respondent's auxiliary requests 1 to 7 filed during the oral proceedings.

4. Appellant I is ordered to reimburse the respondent's costs incurred as a result of the oral proceedings.