Patent EP 1 080 745 B1 Which May Be Regarded As a Fundamental Patent in the Field of Glued Sports Balls

Press release of March 28, 2014

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG successfully defends fundamental patent for manufacturing sports balls such as the world championship ball 2014

Sports balls for ball games like soccer, volleyball and basketball are traditionally manufactured by manually sewing individual panels made from leather or artificial leather. The particular shape of the resulting seams assures superior aerodynamical properties of such a ball. Molten Corporation and adidas have developed a technology avoiding the manual sewing of seams, but instead involving the bonding of the panels onto each other. Using a special folding of the edges of the panels excellent aerodynamical properties as well as improved durability can be achieved.

This development is protected inter alia by the European patent EP 1 080 745 B1 which may be regarded as a fundamental patent in the field of glued sports balls. For example BARDEHLE PAGENBERG Partnerschaft mbB the official match ball for the World Championship 2014 is manufactured using the new Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte technology. Amtsgericht München Partnerschaftsregister 1152 ISO 9001 certified Against the grant of this patent the company Mortex Limited had raised an opposition Prinzregentenplatz 7 with the European Patent Office. However, the Opposition Division of the European Pa- 81675 München tent Office maintained the patent with its decision of April 14, 2010 with only minor limi- T +49.(0)89.928 05-0 F +49.(0)89.928 05-444 tations. With the decision dated March 26, 2014 of the Board of Appeal 3.2.04 of the Eu- [email protected] ropean Patent Office the decision of the Opposition Division has been confirmed and the www.bardehle.com corresponding appeal of opponent has been fully dismissed.

Representatives adidas AG/Molten Corporation: BARDEHLE PAGENBERG (Munich): Dr. Hans Wegner (Patent Attorney, Partner) Dr. Christian Haupt (Patent Attorney, Partner)

Representatives Mortex Limited: Müller Boré und Partner (Munich): Dr. Daniele Schiuma (Patent Attorney) Dieter Schaffner (Patent Attorney)

European Patent Office: A. de Vries (Chairman)

BARDEHLE PAGENBERG combines the professional expert know-how of attorneys-at-law and patent attorneys, European patent attorneys, European trademark and design attorneys, technical advisors and qualified legal counsel. Hand-selected teams of patent attorneys and attorneys-at-law provide top-quality services tailored to the specific needs of the client and the characteristics of the case.

Press contact

Petra Rottmann Stefanie Iske Head of Marketing & PR Assistant Marketing & PR Prinzregentenplatz 7 Prinzregentenplatz 7 81675 München 81675 München T +49.(0)89.928 05-0 T +49.(0)89.928 05-0 F +49.(0)89.928 05-444 F +49.(0)89.928 05-444 [email protected] [email protected] www.bardehle.com www.bardehle.com

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