GORE-TEX®要求撤销OutDry® 技术专利被欧洲专利局最终驳回

GORE-TEX® request to revoke OutDry® patent definitively rejected by EPO

Busto Arsizio (VA), Italy – September 2008 – On the 15th of July 2008, in Munich, the European Patent Office (EPO) has rejected the opposition made by WL Gore & Ass. Gmbh (holder of the trademark Gore-Tex®), which called for the entire withdrawal of the European Patent EP1139805 owned by Nextec srl. This patent relates to the lamination process of breathable waterproof membranes on leather and it is at the base of OutDry®, an innovative technology to manufacture waterproof and breathable footwear and gloves.

After oral proceedings held at EPO in Munich, W.L Gore revoCATion request of the entire EP1139805 patent (Process for waterproofing the leather and leather obtained by means of said process) has been rejected by the EPO Board of Opposition. The decision has become final on 15th July 2008.

This patent concerns the lamination process of breathable waterproof membranes on leather and it is at the base of the OutDry technology which actually consists in the membrane direct bonding on the inner side of leather shoe uppers, glove shells, clothing etc.. thus prEVENTing water penetration through the external layer and overcoming the traditional system of waterproof membranes combined with lining.

The decision puts an end to the debate launched in 2004 by W.L. Gore who believed this technology was in fact anticipated by previous documents and therefore not patentable. The EPO Board of Opposition has rejected this view and, at the same time, has better defined the scope of claims according to the request of Nextec srl. In particular, about the elastic kind (and therefore adaptable to the natural leather stretchability) of membrane used in OutDry technology.   
The patent in question has a particular relevance to the OutDry technology patent protection as it is the first applied and it is related to a very wide kind of scopes (and therefore protections): in fact, both the OutDry process and the products made with it are claimed. OutDry technology is now protected by several granted and pending patents in Europe, US, China, Japan and others manufacturing countries.

GORE-TEX®要求撤销OutDry® 技术专利被欧洲专利局最终驳回

欧洲专利局已于2008年7月15日驳回由Gore-Tex®商标持有人WL Gore & Ass公司所提交的有关要求撤销Nextec srl公司所拥有的粘贴防水透气膜到皮层上，称之为OutDry®的技术专利。这是一项制作防水鞋与手套的创新技术。

在W.L Gore公司收到欧洲专利局有关否决该项申请通知后，W.L Gore公司撤回诉讼，并于2008年7月15日成为最终结果。

该项名为OutDry®的技术专利是一项涉及怎样把防水透气膜直接粘合于用皮料所制鞋、手套及服装的内层，使之成为一个防止外皮层的水分渗透的内里，更优胜于传统结构的技术。

此项决议结束了自2004年来与W.L. Gore公司的争议。在此前W.L. Gore公司一直宣称这个技术不是专利。同时，决议也更好地定义了有关应用OutDry技术贴膜的范围。

OutDry技术专利（包括加工过程及其产品），当它在相关领域被大范围地首先应用就申请了专利，并得到了保护。目前，受到专利保护的地区包括欧洲部分国家，美国，中国，日本和其他生产国。

国内使用outdry技术的只有极星，国外就多了，乐飞叶等，鞋子和手套貌似比戈尔先进些

outdry网站https://www.outdry.com/CHI_partners.html

老掉牙的东西，还在换包装，可怜的消费者，要注意鉴别阿

八百年前就有的东西拿来新瓶装旧酒，没劲

防水膜和皮面用胶全部粘在一起了，还宣传透气好，真是无语了。
八百年前淘汰的东西又翻出来，忽悠大伙儿呢啊？？