Looking for design patent help? Your search ends here. Despite their less-known status, design patents still provide protection against competitors.
An design patent normally covers the physical design of an item.
As a result, it may be necessary to consult a patent consultant (or an attorney) for guidance on how to proceed.
lloydmousilli.com offers design patent assistance. You can book a free consultation with them to learn more about their services.
What is design patent used for?
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has defined “design” as a visual image or pattern that serves to identify the origin of an invention. For example, it could be a new design for eyeglasses or a new car design. Design patent is not about the manufacturing or invention process (which is what utility patents cover), but rather the actual aesthetic appearance of the end product.
Imagine that someone reading your resume is copying one of your distinctive terms verbatim on their resume without adding their own twist, and that infringes on your rights. For this reason, there are different kinds of intellectual property protection.
Patents for design have been used for several well known products, including iPhone, Bluetooth modem, and Lego figures.
One of the most valuable aspects of Coca-Cola’s trademark is the shape of its bottle, as their distinctive bottle design has been protected by a design patent.
Who can get a design patent?
“Well, aren’t patents for inventions?” In reality, though, design patents protect the ornamental appearance of an object, not the invention’s function.
This means that they could be protected by someone who came up with and designed the object, but did not actually come up with the invention process or build it. Someone might design a new car, for example, but it is the auto manufacturers’ responsibility to build it. If they copied that design without permission, it would be infringing on your patent rights.
This means that most likely you could get protection even if you are not in the business of making cars yourself – you simply have the patent rights to that specific design. This is a different situation from copyright law, where only the creator of something can file a lawsuit if their work has been infringed upon.
What does a design patent protect?
A design patent protects the ornamental appearance of a product. This would be its shape. Design patents don’t cover the actual functionality.
Back to that same car. The mechanics of an automobile’s engine would not be covered by a design patent. If it did cover things like that, then everyone who copied that unique feature would be infringing on your patent rights. In short, design patents are limited in scope to protecting the distinctive appearance of an invention.
Find a Design Patent Lawyer
Do not get distracted by legalese. Consult an experienced consultant to help you reach the heights when it comes to intellectual property. Contact the Houston Patent Attorney today.