A
design patent is a form of legal protection of the unique visual qualities of a manufactured item. A
design patent may be granted if the product has a distinct configuration, distinct surface ornamentation or bothIn general terms, a “utility
patent”
protects the way an article is used and works, while a “
design patent”
protects the way an article looks. Therefore,
design patents are made up of drawings that show the invention and very little text.As a general rule:
design patent applications should only be filed once the look of an invention is finalized or close to being finalized. ... Simply put,
design patents now have increased strength and consequentially value, and as such, may be
worth pursuing more so than in the recent pas