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EP0336578

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Extract from the Register of European Patents

EP About this file: EP0336578

EP0336578 - Thin, flexible sanitary napkin [Right-click to bookmark this link]
Status	Patent revoked Status updated on 05.01.2007 Database last updated on 11.04.2026
Most recent event Tooltip	17.04.2015	Change - lapse in a contracting state New state(s): CH, LI	published on 20.05.2015 [2015/21]
Applicant(s)	For all designated states THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY One Procter & Gamble Plaza Cincinnati, OH 45202 / US
	[N/P]
Former [1989/41]	For all designated states THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY One Procter & Gamble Plaza Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 / US
Inventor(s)	01 / Osborn III, Thomas Ward 400 Deanview Drive Cincinnati Ohio 45224 / US
	[1989/41]
Representative(s)	Greene, Simon Kenneth, et al Elkington and Fife LLP Prospect House 8 Pembroke Road Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XR / GB
	[N/P]
Former [2010/03]	Greene, Simon Kenneth, et al Elkington and Fife LLP Prospect House 8 Pembroke Road Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1XR / GB
Former [2006/31]	Greene, Simon Kenneth, et al Elkington and Fife LLP, Prospect House, 8 Pembroke Road Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1XR / GB
Former [1994/20]	Boon, Graham Anthony, et al Elkington and Fife Prospect House 8 Pembroke Road Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XR / GB
Former [1989/41]	Gibson, Tony Nicholas Procter & Gamble (NTC) Limited Whitley Road Longbenton Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 9TS / GB
Application number, filing date	89302553.6	15.03.1989
	[1989/41]
Priority number, date	US19880175559	31.03.1988 Original published format: US 175559
	US19890293606	04.01.1989 Original published format: US 293606
	[1989/41]
Filing language	EN
Procedural language	EN
Publication	Type:	A1 Application with search report
	No.:	EP0336578
	Date:	11.10.1989
	Language:	EN
	[1989/41]
	Type:	B1 Patent specification
	No.:	EP0336578
	Date:	10.01.2001
	Language:	EN
	[2001/02]
Search report(s)	(Supplementary) European search report - dispatched on:	EP	11.07.1989
Classification	IPC:	A61F13/15	[2000/38]
	CPC:	A61F13/47227 (EP,US); A61F13/15 (KR); A41B13/04 (KR); A61F13/15203 (EP,US); A61F13/47263 (EP,US); A61F13/53717 (EP,US); (+) A61F13/53747 (EP,US); A61F5/44 (KR); A61F13/53704 (EP,US); A61F2013/15284 (EP,US); A61F2013/15365 (EP,US); A61F2013/15382 (EP,US); A61F2013/4708 (EP,US); A61F2013/51066 (EP,US); A61F2013/51409 (EP,US); A61F2013/51411 (EP,US); A61F2013/5149 (EP,US); A61F2013/530489 (EP,US); A61F2013/53051 (EP,US); A61F2013/53062 (EP,US); A61F2013/5307 (EP,US); A61F2013/53726 (EP,US); A61F2013/53782 (EP,US); A61F2013/586 (EP,US); A61F2013/8491 (EP,US) (-)
	Former IPC [1989/41]	A61F13/16
Designated contracting states	AT, BE, CH, DE, ES, FR, GB, GR, IT, LI, LU, NL, SE [1989/41]
Title	German:	Dünne, flexible Damenbinde	[1989/41]
	English:	Thin, flexible sanitary napkin	[1989/41]
	French:	Serviette hygiénique mince flexible	[1989/41]
Examination procedure	10.11.1989	Examination requested [1990/01]
	13.02.1991	Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
	04.10.1991	Reply to a communication from the examining division
	12.11.1991	Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M06)
	31.08.1992	Reply to a communication from the examining division
	01.02.1993	Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M06)
	08.09.1993	Despatch of communication that the application is deemed to be withdrawn, reason: reply to the communication from the examining division not received in time
	05.11.1993	Reply to a communication from the examining division
	19.07.1994	Date of oral proceedings
	03.08.1994	Despatch of communication that the application is refused, reason: substantive examination {1}
	03.08.1994	Minutes of oral proceedings despatched
	24.11.1997	Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M06)
	22.05.1998	Reply to a communication from the examining division
	06.10.1998	Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
	20.01.1999	Reply to a communication from the examining division
	28.07.1999	Observations by third parties
	01.02.2000	Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
	25.03.2000	Reply to a communication from the examining division
	06.04.2000	Despatch of communication of intention to grant (Approval: Yes)
	13.07.2000	Communication of intention to grant the patent
	11.10.2000	Fee for grant paid
	11.10.2000	Fee for publishing/printing paid
Appeal following examination	29.08.1994	Appeal received No. T0048/95
	13.12.1994	Statement of grounds filed
	23.09.1996	Invitation to file observations in an appeal (Time limit: M02) [1996/39]
	14.10.1996	Date of receipt of observations in an appeal [1996/42]
	22.01.1997	Result of appeal procedure: continuation of examination procedure
Divisional application(s)	EP00110684.8 / EP1029522
Opposition(s)	Opponent(s)	01 08.10.2001 26.10.2001 ADMISSIBLE SCA Hygiene Products AB 405 03 Göteborg / SE Opponents representative Romare, Laila Anette, et al, et al Zacco Sweden AB Torggatan 8 Box 142 401 22 Göteborg / SE
		02 10.10.2001 26.10.2001 ADMISSIBLE McNeil-PPC, Inc. 199 Grandview Road Skillman, NJ 08558 / US Opponents representative Fisher, Adrian John, et al, et al Carpmaels & Ransford LLP One Southampton Row London WC1B 5HA / GB
		03 10.10.2001 26.10.2001 ADMISSIBLE KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC. 401 North Lake Street Neenah WI 54956 / US Opponents representative Davies, Christopher Robert, et al, et al Dehns St Bride's House 10 Salisbury Square London EC4Y 8JD / GB
		[N/P]
	Former [2008/39]
	Opponent(s)	01 08.10.2001 26.10.2001 ADMISSIBLE SCA Hygiene Products AB 405 03 Göteborg / SE Opponents representative Romare, Laila Anette, et al, et al Albihns AB P.O. Box 142 401 22 Göteborg / SE
		02 10.10.2001 26.10.2001 ADMISSIBLE McNeil-PPC, Inc. 199 Grandview Road Skillman, NJ 08558 / US Opponents representative Fisher, Adrian John, et al, et al CARPMAELS & RANSFORD 43-45 Bloomsbury Square London WC1A 2RA / GB
		03 10.10.2001 26.10.2001 ADMISSIBLE KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC. 401 North Lake Street Neenah WI 54956 / US Opponents representative Davies, Christopher Robert, et al, et al Frank B. Dehn & Co. St Bride's House 10 Salisbury Square London EC4Y 8JD / GB
	Former [2001/49]
	Opponent(s)	01 08.10.2001 SCA Hygiene Products AB 405 03 Göteborg / SE Opponents representative Romare, Laila Anette, et al, et al Albihns Göteborg AB Box 142 401 22 Göteborg / SE
		02 10.10.2001 McNeil-PPC, Inc. Grandview Road Skillman, NJ 08558 / US Opponents representative Fisher, Adrian John, et al, et al CARPMAELS & RANSFORD 43 Bloomsbury Square London WC1A 2RA / GB
		03 10.10.2001 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. 401 North Lake Street Neenah, WI 54956 / US Opponents representative Davies, Christopher Robert, et al, et al Frank B. Dehn & Co., European Patent Attorneys, 179 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EL / GB
	Former [2001/48]
	Opponent(s)	01 08.10.2001 ADMISSIBLE SCA Hygiene Products AB 405 03 Göteborg / SE Opponents representative Romare, Laila Anette, et al, et al Albihns Göteborg AB Box 142 401 22 Göteborg / SE
	19.11.2001	Invitation to proprietor to file observations on the notice of opposition
	29.05.2002	Reply of patent proprietor to notice(s) of opposition
	05.08.2002	Despatch of a communication from the opposition division (Time limit: M06)
	17.02.2003	Reply to a communication from the opposition division
	13.11.2003	Date of oral proceedings
	22.12.2003	Despatch of minutes of oral proceedings
	22.12.2003	Despatch of communication that the patent will be revoked
	09.11.2006	Legal effect of revocation of patent [2007/06]
Appeal following opposition	20.02.2004	Appeal received No. T0279/04
	29.04.2004	Statement of grounds filed
	09.11.2006	Result of appeal procedure: appeal of the proprietor was rejected
	09.11.2006	Date of oral proceedings
	14.11.2006	Minutes of the oral proceedings despatched
Request for further processing for:	05.11.1993	Request for further processing filed
	05.11.1993	Full payment received (date of receipt of payment) Request granted
	22.11.1993	Decision despatched
Fees paid	Renewal fee
	17.12.1990	Renewal fee patent year 03
	13.03.1992	Renewal fee patent year 04
	09.03.1993	Renewal fee patent year 05
	09.03.1994	Renewal fee patent year 06
	09.03.1995	Renewal fee patent year 07
	08.03.1996	Renewal fee patent year 08
	12.03.1997	Renewal fee patent year 09
	10.03.1998	Renewal fee patent year 10
	04.03.1999	Renewal fee patent year 11
	06.03.2000	Renewal fee patent year 12
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 Tooltip	BE	10.01.2001
	AT	15.03.2001
	LU	15.03.2001
	CH	31.03.2001
	LI	31.03.2001
	[2015/21]
Former [2005/23]	BE	10.01.2001
	AT	15.03.2001
	LU	15.03.2001
Former [2003/09]	BE	10.01.2001
	AT	15.03.2001
Former [2002/03]	BE	10.01.2001
Documents cited:	Search	[A] US4425130 (DESMARAIS THOMAS A et al.)
		[A] US4057061 (ISHIKAWA SHIGEMITSU et al.)
		[A] EP0215417 (KIMBERLY CLARK CO et al.)
	Examination	EP0122042
		US4333462
		US4333463
		EP0202125
		US4908026
		US4639254
		US4217901
	other	US3771525
		US4321924
		US4589876
		US4731065
		US4217901
		EP0122042

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.