常见的抗辩方式

小家电外观设计专利侵权应对07

Small Home Appliance Appearance Design Patent Infringement Response 07

常见的抗辩方式

Common Defenses in Non-Infringement

作者：龙利松

Author: Long Lisong

关键词：外观设计专利侵权纠纷；抗辩；不侵权；权利用尽；先用权；合法来源；不视为侵权；不承担赔偿责任

Keywords:Appearance design patent infringement dispute; Defense; Non-infringement; Exhaustion of patent rights; Prior use right; Legitimate source; Not deemed as infringement; No liability for compensation

（本文系为普法目的而创作，文中故事改编自真实案例，当事人名称以化名处理，如有雷同，纯属巧合，请勿对号入座。）

(This article is compiled for legal popularization purposes only. The stories herein are adapted from real cases; all parties involved have been given pseudonyms. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental, and readers are requested not to engage in personal association.)

一、案情简介

I. Background

上节说到，小松总的电子台灯在电商平台被小霆公司投诉侵犯其外观设计专利权，来咨询律师。有证据表明该款电子台灯的设计属于现有设计，律师建议，如果小霆公司以侵犯其外观设计为由去法院起诉，可以进行现有设计抗辩。小松总接着追问，那在应对外观设计专利侵权纠纷诉讼当中，除了现有设计抗辩之外，还有没有其他方式呢？

As mentioned in the previous section, Mr. Xiao Song's electronic desk lamp was reported on an e-commerce platform by Xiao Ting Company for infringing its appearance design patent, and he consulted a lawyer. Evidence suggests that the design of this electronic desk lamp belongs to the prior design. The lawyer advised that if Xiao Ting Company files a lawsuit in court for patent infringement, a prior design defense could be raised. Mr. Xiao Song then asked further: besides the prior design defense, are there other defenses available in response to a lawsuit for appearance design patent infringement?

二、法律分析

II. Legal Analysis

律师说，在应对外观设计专利侵权纠纷诉讼当中，除了现有设计抗辩之外，还有多种不同的抗辩方式，可以主张没有侵犯涉案专利权。

The lawyer stated that in response to a lawsuit for appearance design patent infringement, besides the prior design defense, there are various other defenses that can be asserted to claim no infringement of the patent in question.

常见的抗辩方式包括：

Common defenses include:

1. 如果被诉侵权产品与记载在涉案专利授权公告文本中的授权的外观设计有明显的区别，那么可以进行不侵权抗辩。根据专利法第六十四条第二款的规定，外观设计专利权的保护范围以表示在图片或者照片中的该产品的外观设计为准，简要说明可以用于解释图片或者照片所表示的该产品的外观设计。将被诉侵权产品的外观与记载在涉案专利授权公告文本中的授权的外观设计做侵权对比，如果两者在整体视觉效果上不相同也不近似，则可以以被诉侵权产品的外观没有落入涉案专利的保护范围为由，主张没有侵犯涉案外观设计专利权。

1. If the accused infringing product is clearly distinguishable from the authorized design as documented in the patent authorization announcement of the patent in question, a non-infringement defense may be raised. According to Article 64(2) of the Patent Law, the scope of protection for a design patent is determined by the design of the product as represented in the drawings or photographs, and the brief description may be used to interpret the design shown in the drawings or photographs. If, through an infringement comparison, the appearance of the accused infringing product is neither identical nor similar in overall visual effect to the authorized design documented in the patent authorization announcement, it may be argued that the appearance of the accused infringing product does not fall within the scope of protection of the patent in question, thereby constituting a defense of non-infringement.

2. 如果被诉侵权产品是从权利人那里购买，如通过官方店铺或者官方授权的店铺，那么可以进行权利用尽抗辩。根据专利法第七十五条第二款的规定，专利产品或者依照专利方法直接获得的产品，由专利权人或者经其许可的单位、个人售出后，使用、许诺销售、销售、进口该产品的，不视为侵犯专利权。通俗来讲，就是被诉侵犯外观设计专利权的产品是从专利权人或者是他授权的销售方购买的，那许诺销售、销售或者进口该产品，不侵犯涉案外观设计专利权。

2. If the accused infringing product was purchased from the rights holder, such as through official stores or authorized outlets, an exhaustion of rights defense may be raised. According to Article 75(2) of the Patent Law, after a patented product or a product directly obtained through a patented method has been sold by the patentee or with their authorization, the use, offer for sale, sale, or importation of that product is not deemed as patent infringement. In simpler terms, if the product accused of infringing a design patent was purchased from the patentee or an authorized seller, then offering for sale, selling, or importing that product does not constitute infringement of the design patent in question.

3. 如果在权利人申请专利之前，被诉侵权产品已经被自己设计出来，并且还做出了制造该产品的必要准备，那么可以进行先用权抗辩。根据专利法第七十五条第三款的规定，在专利申请日前已经制造相同产品、使用相同方法或者已经作好制造、使用的必要准备，并且仅在原有范围内继续制造、使用的，不视为侵犯专利权。也就是说，如果在涉案外观设计专利的申请日之前，被诉侵权产品是自己独立设计完成的，或者是合法地从专利权人或其他独立设计完成者处取得的，同时还做好了制造该产品的必要准备，例如已经准备好主要技术图纸、工艺文件、主要设备或者主要原材料等，那么后续在已准备好的生产条件能够达到的生产规模上制造、许诺销售或者销售该产品，不侵犯涉案外观设计专利权。

3. If the accused infringing product was independently designed before the rights holder filed the patent application, and necessary preparations for manufacturing the product have been made, a prior use defense may be raised. According to Article 75(3) of the Patent Law, if, before the filing date of the patent application, a person has already manufactured an identical product, used an identical method, or has made necessary preparations for manufacturing or using the same, and continues to manufacture or use it solely within the original scope, such acts are not deemed as patent infringement. In other words, if, before the filing date of the design patent in question, the accused infringing product was independently designed or lawfully obtained from the patentee or another independent designer, and necessary preparations for manufacturing the product have been made—such as preparing key technical drawings, process documents, essential equipment, or raw materials—then subsequent manufacturing, offering for sale, or selling the product within the production scale achievable under the prepared conditions does not constitute infringement of the design patent in question.

4. 如果被诉侵权产品是通过正常合法的途径获得，那么可以进行合法来源抗辩。根据专利法第七十七条的规定，为生产经营目的使用、许诺销售或者销售不知道是未经专利权人许可而制造并售出的专利侵权产品，能证明该产品合法来源的，不承担赔偿责任。也就是说，如果被诉侵犯外观设计专利权的产品是通过合法的途径，例如合法的销售渠道、买卖合同等正常商业方式获得的，且自己不知道这些产品是没有获得专利权人授权的，那就不需要承担赔偿责任，但是需要停止例如许诺销售、销售或者进口等侵权行为。

4. If the accused infringing product was obtained through normal and lawful means, a legitimate source defense may be raised. According to Article 77 of the Patent Law, a party who, for production or business purposes, uses, offers for sale, or sells a patented product that they did not know was manufactured and sold without the authorization of the patentee, and who can prove the legitimate source of the product, shall not be liable for compensation. In other words, if the product accused of infringing a design patent was obtained through lawful means, such as legitimate sales channels or contracts, and the party was unaware that the product was unauthorized by the patentee, they are not liable for compensation but must cease the infringing acts, such as offering for sale, selling, or importing the product.

现实中，每个案件的情况各有千秋，需要根据案件本身情况，选择合理有效的抗辩方式。

In reality, each case has its own unique circumstances. It is necessary to a reasonable and effective defense based on the specific facts of the case.

听到这里，小松总问道，针对现在小霆公司在平台上的投诉，怎么解决呢？关于这个问题，将在下节与大家分享。

Hearing this, Mr. Xiao Song asked, how to address the complaints currently being made by Xiaoting Company on the platform? This issue will be shared in the next section.

三、对小家电企业的启示

Ⅲ. Implications for Small Home Appliance Companies

在应对外观设计专利侵权纠纷诉讼当中，除了现有设计抗辩之外，常见的抗辩方式包括不侵权抗辩、权利用尽抗辩、先用权抗辩以及合法来源抗辩等，根据案件本身情况，选择合理有效的抗辩方式。

In response to lawsuits for appearance design patent infringement, besides the prior design defense, common defenses include the non-infringement defense, exhaustion of rights defense, prior use right defense, and legitimate source defense. A reasonable and effective defense should be selected based on the specific circumstances of the case.

四、相关规定

IV. Relevant Provisions (Translation for Reference Only)

《中华人民共和国专利法》（2020年修正）

Patent Law of the People's Republic of China (2020 Revision)

第十一条 发明和实用新型专利权被授予后，除本法另有规定的以外，任何单位或者个人未经专利权人许可，都不得实施其专利，即不得为生产经营目的制造、使用、许诺销售、销售、进口其专利产品，或者使用其专利方法以及使用、许诺销售、销售、进口依照该专利方法直接获得的产品。

外观设计专利权被授予后，任何单位或者个人未经专利权人许可，都不得实施其专利，即不得为生产经营目的制造、许诺销售、销售、进口其外观设计专利产品。

Article 11: After the grant of the patent for an invention or an utility model, except otherwise provided for in this Law, no entity or individual may, without the authorization of the patentee, exploit the patentee's patent, that is, for production or business purposes, manufacture, use, offer to sell, sell or import the patented product, or use the patented process, and use, offer to sell, sell or import the product directly obtained by the patented process.

After the grant of the patent for an design, no entity or individual may, without the authorization of the patentee, exploit the patentee's patent, that is, for production or business purposes, manufacture, offer to sell, sell or import the products incorporating the patentee's patented design.?

第六十四条 发明或者实用新型专利权的保护范围以其权利要求的内容为准，说明书及附图可以用于解释权利要求的内容。

外观设计专利权的保护范围以表示在图片或者照片中的该产品的外观设计为准，简要说明可以用于解释图片或者照片所表示的该产品的外观设计。

Article 64: For the patent right of an invention or a utility model, the scope of protection shall be confined to the content of the claims. The description and the drawings attached may be used to explain the content of the claims.?

For the patent right for design, the scope of protection shall be confined to the design of the product as shown in the drawings or photographs. The brief description may be used to explain the design of the product as shown in the drawings or photographs.

第六十七条 在专利侵权纠纷中，被控侵权人有证据证明其实施的技术或者设计属于现有技术或者现有设计的，不构成侵犯专利权。

Article 67: In a patent infringement dispute, if the alleged infringer has evidence to prove that the technology or design exploited by it or him forms part of the prior art or prior design, such exploitation shall not constitute an infringement of the patent right.

第七十五条 有下列情形之一的，不视为侵犯专利权：

（一）专利产品或者依照专利方法直接获得的产品，由专利权人或者经其许可的单位、个人售出后，使用、许诺销售、销售、进口该产品的；

（二）在专利申请日前已经制造相同产品、使用相同方法或者已经作好制造、使用的必要准备，并且仅在原有范围内继续制造、使用的；

（三）临时通过中国领陆、领水、领空的外国运输工具，依照其所属国同中国签订的协议或者共同参加的国际条约，或者依照互惠原则，为运输工具自身需要而在其装置和设备中使用有关专利的；

（四）专为科学研究和实验而使用有关专利的；

（五）为提供行政审批所需要的信息，制造、使用、进口专利药品或者专利医疗器械的，以及专门为其制造、进口专利药品或者专利医疗器械的。

Article 75: None of the following shall be deemed as infringement of the patent right:

(1) , after the sale of a patented product or a product acquired directly in accordance with a patented process by the patentee or any entity or individual authorized by the patentee, any other person uses, offers to sell, sells, or imports that product;

(2) , before the filing date of the patent application, any person who has already manufactured the identical product, used the identical process, or made necessary preparations for its manufacturing or using, continues to manufacture or use it only within the original scope;

(3) any foreign means of transport, which temporarily passes through the territory, territorial waters or territorial airspace of China, uses the relevant patent in its devices or installations for its own needs in accordance with the agreements concluded between the country to which the foreign means of transport belongs and China, or in accordance with the international treaties to which both countries are parties, or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity;

(4) the relevant patent is used specially for the purposes of scientific research and experimentation; or

(5) for the purposes of providing information needed for the administrative examination and approval, any person manufactures, uses, or imports patented drugs or patented medical apparatus and instruments, or any other person manufactures or imports patented drugs or patented medical apparatus and instruments especially for that person.

第七十七条 为生产经营目的使用、许诺销售或者销售不知道是未经专利权人许可而制造并售出的专利侵权产品，能证明该产品合法来源的，不承担赔偿责任。

Article 77: Any person who, for production and business purposes, uses, offers to sell or sells a patent-infringing product, without knowing that it is manufactured and sold without the authorization of the patentee, may not be liable for compensation provided that he can prove the legitimate source of the product.