European Patent Office

T 1049/93 (Emulsions/NITRO NOBEL) of 03.08.1999

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:1999:T104993.19990803
Date of decision
3 August 1999
Case number
T 1049/93
Petition for review of
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Application number
87900458.8
IPC class
C10M 173/00
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen (C)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Other decisions for this case
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Abstracts for this decision
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Application title
Water-in-oil emulsions
Applicant name
The Lubrizol Corporation
Opponent name
Nitro Nobel AB
Board
3.3.01
Headnote
-
Keywords
Amendments (main 1st and 2nd auxiliary requests) - partly no support in application as filed
Clarity - main 1st and 2nd auxiliary requests (no) - 3rd auxiliary request (yes)
Novelty (3rd auxiliary request) (yes)
Inventive step (yes) - non-obvious solution
Oral proceedings - absence of respondent (opponent) - final decision at oral proceedings (yes)
Catchword
Where an opponent who has been duly summoned, chooses not to attend oral proceedings, a board of appeal may still consider prior art which may be an obstacle to the maintenance of the patent in suit, irrespective of by whom that prior art was put forward. Such prior art does not constitute new facts within the meaning of G 4/92, which may not be construed as extending or prolonging the rights of a voluntary absent party (see point 12 of the reasons).
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 with the order to maintain the patent in amended form, namely:

claims: 1 to 9

description: pages 1 to 22

submitted as third auxiliary request at the oral proceedings on 3 August 1999.