By John McKeown ( January 19, 2026, 3:05 PM EST) -- The appellant appeals from a decision of the Trademarks Opposition Board, refusing its application for registration of the trademark FILTER DESIGN. The FILTER DESIGN trademark consists of the “positioning of a sign” in the form of a pattern of diamond-shaped apertures on the surface of certain air filters. The board refused the application on grounds that the diamond-shaped apertures were dictated primarily by a utilitarian function, and the trademark was unregistrable pursuant to subsection 12(2) of the Trademarks Act (Products Unlimited, Inc. v. Five Seasons Comfort Limited, 2026 FC 48)....