blank Quick help
blank Maintenance news

Scheduled maintenance

Regular maintenance outages:
between 05.00 and 05.15 hrs CET (Monday to Sunday).

Other outages
Availability

2022.02.11

More...
blank News flashes

Italy joins the Federated Register

Click here for more information on the Federated Register.

2025-06-12

More...
blank Related links

Release notes
European Patent Register Assistant
European Patent Register User Manual
European Patent Register – pocket guide
FAQ - European Patent Register
Federated Register (Flyer)
Global Dossier (Flyer)
Register events
Deep link coverage
Federated Register content
The Patent Information Tour
Fair use charter

Extract from the Register of European Patents

EP About this file: EP3686114

EP3686114 - VACUUM EXTRACTION AND SEALING OF CONTAINERS [Right-click to bookmark this link]
StatusThe patent has been granted
Status updated on  21.02.2025
Database last updated on 26.03.2026
FormerGrant of patent is intended
Status updated on  03.11.2024
FormerExamination is in progress
Status updated on  18.12.2020
FormerRequest for examination was made
Status updated on  21.08.2020
FormerThe application has been published
Status updated on  26.06.2020
Most recent event   Tooltip23.01.2026Lapse of the patent in a contracting state
New state(s): CZ		published on 25.02.2026  [2026/09]
Applicant(s)For all designated states
PLF International Limited
Riverside House
Iconfield
Parkeston
Harwich, Essex C012 4EN / GB
[2025/13]
Former [2020/31]For all designated states
Plf International Limited
Riverside House
Iconfield
Parkeston
Harwich, Essex C012 4EN / GB
Inventor(s)01 / SCOTT, Peter Roy
20 Bromley Road
Colcheser, Essex CO4 3JF / GB
02 / EMOND, Mark
Bramblings Wrabness Road
Harwich, Essex CO1 25NE / GB
 [2020/31]
Representative(s)Prinz & Partner mbB
Patent- und Rechtsanwälte
Rundfunkplatz 2
80335 München / DE
[2025/13]
Former [2020/31]AWA Sweden AB
P.O. Box 5117
200 71 Malmö / SE
Application number, filing date20163902.806.12.2018
[2020/31]
Priority number, dateUS201762596632P08.12.2017         Original published format: US 201762596632 P
[2020/31]
Filing languageEN
Procedural languageEN
PublicationType: A1 Application with search report 
No.:EP3686114
Date:29.07.2020
Language:EN
[2020/31]
Type: B1 Patent specification 
No.:EP3686114
Date:26.03.2025
Language:EN
[2025/13]
Search report(s)(Supplementary) European search report - dispatched on:EP19.05.2020
ClassificationIPC:B65B31/02, B65B7/28, B65B31/04, B67B3/24
[2020/31]
CPC:
B65B7/2857 (EP); B65B31/028 (EP,CN,US); B65B31/044 (US);
B65B31/041 (EP); B65B31/06 (US); B67B3/24 (EP)
Designated contracting statesAL,   AT,   BE,   BG,   CH,   CY,   CZ,   DE,   DK,   EE,   ES,   FI,   FR,   GB,   GR,   HR,   HU,   IE,   IS,   IT,   LI,   LT,   LU,   LV,   MC,   MK,   MT,   NL,   NO,   PL,   PT,   RO,   RS,   SE,   SI,   SK,   SM,   TR [2020/39]  
Former [2020/31]AL,  AT,  BE,  BG,  CH,  CY,  CZ,  DE,  DK,  EE,  ES,  FI,  FR,  GB,  GR,  HR,  HU,  IE,  IS,  IT,  LI,  LT,  LU,  LV,  MC,  MK,  MT,  NL,  NO,  PL,  PT,  RO,  RS,  SE,  SI,  SK,  SM,  TR 
TitleGerman:VAKUUMEXTRAKTION UND ABDICHTUNG VON BEHÄLTERN[2020/31]
English:VACUUM EXTRACTION AND SEALING OF CONTAINERS[2020/31]
French:EXTRACTION SOUS VIDE ET SCELLEMENT DE RÉCIPIENTS[2020/31]
Examination procedure17.08.2020Amendment by applicant (claims and/or description)
17.08.2020Examination requested  [2020/39]
17.08.2020Date on which the examining division has become responsible
18.12.2020Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
20.01.2021Reply to a communication from the examining division
29.03.2021Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
23.06.2021Reply to a communication from the examining division
06.07.2021Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
06.10.2021Reply to a communication from the examining division
13.01.2022Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
15.02.2022Reply to a communication from the examining division
10.08.2022Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
02.09.2022Reply to a communication from the examining division
08.09.2022Observations by third parties
09.03.2023Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
26.06.2023Reply to a communication from the examining division
09.08.2023Observations by third parties
11.08.2023Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
16.11.2023Reply to a communication from the examining division
11.12.2023Observations by third parties
07.10.2024Observations by third parties
15.10.2024Date of oral proceedings
04.11.2024Communication of intention to grant the patent
04.11.2024Minutes of oral proceedings despatched
17.02.2025Fee for grant paid
17.02.2025Fee for publishing/printing paid
17.02.2025Receipt of the translation of the claim(s)
Parent application(s)   TooltipEP18819034.2  / EP3668797
Divisional application(s)EP25162517.4  / EP4541759
Opposition(s)Opponent(s)01  22.12.2025  05.01.2026  ADMISSIBLE
OPTIMA consumer GmbH
Geschwister-Scholl-Strasse 89
74523 Schwäbisch Hall / DE
Opponent's representative
Patentanwälte Ruff, Wilhelm, Beier, Dauster & Partner mbB
Postfach 10 40 36
70035 Stuttgart / DE
 [2026/07]
20.01.2026Invitation to proprietor to file observations on the notice of opposition
Fees paidRenewal fee
14.12.2020Renewal fee patent year 03
30.11.2021Renewal fee patent year 04
30.12.2022Renewal fee patent year 05
11.10.2023Renewal fee patent year 06
11.10.2024Renewal fee patent year 07
Opt-out from the exclusive  Tooltip
competence of the Unified
Patent Court		 See the Register of the Unified Patent Court for opt-out data
Responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or quality of the data displayed under the link provided lies entirely with the Unified Patent Court.
Lapses during opposition  TooltipCZ26.03.2025
HR26.03.2025
PL26.03.2025
SK26.03.2025
SM26.03.2025
NO26.06.2025
RS26.06.2025
GR27.06.2025
IS26.07.2025
[2026/09]
Former [2025/49]HR26.03.2025
PL26.03.2025
SK26.03.2025
SM26.03.2025
NO26.06.2025
RS26.06.2025
GR27.06.2025
IS26.07.2025
Former [2025/47]HR26.03.2025
PL26.03.2025
SM26.03.2025
NO26.06.2025
RS26.06.2025
GR27.06.2025
Former [2025/46]HR26.03.2025
SM26.03.2025
NO26.06.2025
RS26.06.2025
GR27.06.2025
Former [2025/35]HR26.03.2025
NO26.06.2025
RS26.06.2025
GR27.06.2025
Former [2025/34]HR26.03.2025
NO26.06.2025
RS26.06.2025
Former [2025/33]RS26.06.2025
Documents cited:Search[X] US3220153  (CORMACK JR JAMES B et al.)
 [A] WO2017033454  (MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND FOOD & PACKAGING MACHINERY CO LTD et al.)
 [A] CN204508754  (TIANJIN AOHENG ELECTROMECHANICAL EQUIPMENT CO LTD et al.)
 [A] US3605826  (CARTER CLARENCE F et al.)
 [A] US3354608  (HART ALEXANDER W et al.)
ExaminationUS4221102
 EP0566173
otherEP0566173
 US3354608
 US3605826
 US3354608
 US3220153
 US3220153
 WO2019110722
OppositionEP0566173
 US3354608
 US3605826
 US3220153
 AU2995392
 GB2086834
 WO2019107722
The EPO accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of data originating from other authorities; in particular, it does not guarantee that it is complete, up to date or fit for specific purposes.