For the whole decision click here: o39500
Summary
The application related to a cargo transportation container for transporting liquids at sea. Three examination reports under s.18(3) and an interview between the patent examiner and the applicant had failed to resolve issues of novelty, inventive step and clarity. The applicant therefore requested a hearing, but did not present any arguments to rebut the examiners objections. On considering the form of the claims and relevant prior art, the hearing officer upheld the examiners objections with regard to a lack of novelty and clarity of the claims, but did not uphold all the examiners inventive step objections - finding only one appendant claim to be lacking in inventive step. Since there seemed to be ways in which the applicant could amend to overcome these objections, the application was not refused. The examiner was instead directed to issue a further examination report under s.18(3).