立体商标的显著性判断——从美国司法判例的理论轨迹考察

On the Distinctiveness Judgment of Three-dimensional Trademark——From the view of American Judicial Practice

立体商标和平面商标同样可以具有固有显著性,这不会引发有限的产品外观资源被耗尽的危险,因为功能性原则可以有效地防止反竞争效果的产生。立体商标固有显著性判断的关键在于消费者是否有可能将产品外形或包装等视为识别产品来源的标志,而不问其是否表现为外形或者包装。为最大限度地消弭显著性判断中的不确定因素,可以结合三维标志本身的性质、消费者购买商品时的情景体验以及相关产品的性质等因素进行综合判断。

Three-dimensional trademark can have inherent distinctiveness as traditional trademark,which will not result in the depletion of limited product appearance design,as the doctrine of functionality can effectively prevent the anti-unfair competition result.The key to judge the inherent distinctiveness of threedimensional trademark lies in whether the consumers have the possibility to regard the product appearance or package as the marks which can identify the source of products,despite of the mark itself is product appearance or package.In order to eliminate the uncertainty of judging the distinctiveness to a maximum extent,we should take into account such factors as follows：the character of three-dimensional trademark,market environment and the character of product.