T 0059/87 (Friction reducing additive/MOBIL II) du 26.04.1988

Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence

ECLI:EP:BA:1988:T005987.19880426

Date de la décision

26 avril 1988

Numéro de l'affaire

T 0059/87

Requête en révision de

Numéro de la demande

81300717.6

Classe de la CIB

C10M 1/54

Langue de la procédure

Anglais

Distribution

Publiées au Journal officiel de l'OEB (A)

Téléchargement

Décision en anglais

Versions JO

Autres décisions pour cet affaire

T 0059/87 Friction reducing additives/MOBIL IV 1990-08-14 T 0059/87 Additifs réduisant le frottement/MOBIL IV 1990-08-14 T 0059/87 Reibungsverringernde Zusätze/MOBIL IV 1990-08-14 T 0059/87 Friction reducing additives/MOBIL IV 1990-08-14

Résumés pour cette décision

Titre de la demande

Friction reduction additives and compositions thereof

Nom du demandeur

Mobil Oil Corporation

Nom de l'opposant

Chevron

Chambre

3.3.01

Sommaire

The following questions concerning important points of law are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for decision:

1. When amended claims involving a change of category (here: from a "compound" claim to "use of that compound in a composition for specified purpose") are proposed in opposition proceedings, what considerations should be taken into account when deciding on the admissibility of such amendments having regard to Article 123(3) EPC? In particular, how far should the national laws of Contracting States relating to infringement be considered?

2. Can a patent with claims directed to a "compound" and to a "composition including such compound" be amended during opposition proceedings so that the claims are directed to the "use of that compound in a composition" for a particular purpose?

3. Is a claim to the use of a composition for a particular non-medical purpose novel for the purpose of Article 54 EPC, having regard to a prior publication which discloses the use of that compound for a non-medical purpose, so that the only novel feature in the claim is the purpose for which the compound is used?

Dispositions juridiques pertinentes

European Patent Convention Art 112 1973 European Patent Convention Art 123 1973 European Patent Convention Art 54 1973 European Patent Convention Art 64 1973 European Patent Convention Art 91 1973

Mots-clés

Amendment in opposition proceedings - change of category
Change of category (here: from "compound and "composition" to "use of compound for a particular purpose")
Novelty of such a "use" claim over disclosure of same compound for different purpose
Referral to Enlarged Board of Appeal/questions of amendment/novelty

Exergue

Affaires citées

Affaires citantes

T 1016/92 T 0254/93 T 0279/93 T 0892/94 T 1073/96 T 0579/01 T 0589/01 T 0411/02 T 1085/02 T 0406/06 T 1865/07 T 1898/07 T 0511/09 T 1047/12 T 2090/15 T 1338/18 T 3272/19 T 1504/21

ORDER

For these reasons, it is decided that:

The following questions concerning important points of law shall be referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for decision: (i) When amended claims involving a change of category (here: from a "compound" claim to "use of that compound in a composition for specified purpose") are proposed in opposition proceedings, what considerations should be taken into account when deciding on the admissibility of such amendments having regard to Article 123(3) EPC? In particular, how far should the national laws of Contracting States relating to infringement be considered? (ii) Can a patent with claims directed to a "compound" and to a "composition including such compound" be amended during opposition proceedings so that the claims are directed to the "use of that compound in a composition" for a particular purpose? (iii) Is a claim to the use of a compound for a particular non-medical purpose novel for the purpose of Article 54 EPC, having regard to a prior publication which discloses the use of that compound for a different non-medical purpose, so that the only novel feature in the claim is the purpose for which the compound is used?