公益与私益的衡平:外观设计到期后的竞争法保护路径——以王老吉包装、装潢案为切入点

Balancing Public and Private Interest:The Protection of Competition Law After the Design Expires——Taking Wong Lo Kat’s Packaging and Decoration Case as an Entry Point

产品外观客观上同时具有装饰和标识双重属性,因此因使用获得较高知名度的产品外观,在外观设计专利到期后,可能作为知名商品特有包装、装潢受到反不正当竞争法的保护。反不正当竞争法对到期外观设计的保护并非在助长专利权的扩张对公共领域的侵蚀,而是在衡量了保护市场经营者因诚实劳动累积的商誉、社会公众对进入公共领域的设计方案的模仿自由和相关公众的稳定认知利益后的选择。能获得反不正当竞争法保护的到期外观设计应当满足有一定影响的商品包装、装潢构成要件,同时不具有功能性。

The appearance of the product objectively has the dual nature of decoration and mark at the same time.Therefore,for the appearance of famous product,after the design patent expires,the unique packaging and decoration of the famous product may be protected by the Competition Law.The purpose that protection of expired designs by the Competition Law is not to encourage the erosion of patent rights and the public domain but to balance the protection of market operators’good will accruing from honest labor,the freedom of public to imitate expired designs and the relevant public’s stable cognitive benefits.The expired designs that can be protected by the Competition Law should satisfy the requirements of packaging and decoration of influential product,while they are not functional.