| European Case Law Identifier: | ECLI:EP:BA:2013:T082413.20130920 | ||||||||
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| Date of decision: | 20 September 2013 | ||||||||
| Case number: | T 0824/13 | ||||||||
| Application number: | 02003577.0 | ||||||||
| IPC class: | F16C 33/46 | ||||||||
| Language of proceedings: | EN | ||||||||
| Distribution: | D | ||||||||
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| Title of application: | Retainer for roller bearing | ||||||||
| Applicant name: | NSK LTD | ||||||||
| Opponent name: | Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG | ||||||||
| Board: | 3.2.08 | ||||||||
| Headnote: | - | ||||||||
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| Keywords: | Admissibility of the appeal Late filed notice of appeal |
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Summary of Facts and Submissions
I. The appeal contests the decision of the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office rejecting the opposition of the Opponent Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG against the decision of the Examining Decision of the European Patent Office granting the European Patent No. 1233199. The contested decision was dispatched by registered letter with advice of delivery on 3 January 2013 and reached the applicant on 9 January 2013. The applicant filed a notice of appeal by letter received on 19 March 2013. The appeal fee was paid on the same day.
II. By a communication dated 10 April 2013 send by registered letter with advice of delivery, the Registrar of the Board informed the appellant that the notice of appeal was not filed in due time and that the appeal could be expected to be rejected as inadmissible. The appellants attention was drawn to provision concerning the late receipt of documents pursuant to Article 108 EPC and Rule 101(1) EPC. The applicant was invited to file observations within two months.
III. No answer was received within the given time limit to the Registry's communication.
IV. By letter dated 15 July 2013 the patentee requested to reject the appeal as inadmissible.
Reasons for the Decision
As the appeal was not filed within the time limit provided by Article 108 EPC in conjunction with Rule 126(2) EPC, the appeal has to rejected as inadmissible (Rule 101(1) EPC).
The Board is thus not in a position to examine whether the impugned decision is wrong and whether or not the appellant was adversely affected by it.
ORDER
For these reasons it is decided that:
The appeal is rejected as inadmissible.
