公益與私益的衡平：外觀設計到期後的競爭法保護路徑——以王老吉包裝、裝潢案為切入點

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

産品外觀客觀上同時具有裝飾和標識雙重屬性，因此因使用獲得較高知名度的産品外觀，在外觀設計專利到期後，可能作爲知名商品特有包裝、裝潢受到反不正當競爭法的保護。反不正當競爭法對到期外觀設計的保護並非在助長專利權的擴張對公共領域的侵蝕，而是在衡量了保護市場經營者因誠實勞動累積的商譽、社會公衆對進入公共領域的設計方案的模仿自由和相關公衆的穩定認知利益後的選擇。能獲得反不正當競爭法保護的到期外觀設計應當滿足有一定影響的商品包裝、裝潢構成要件，同時不具有功能性。

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’ goodwill 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.