Design Patents- What are the Top Reasons to File One?
- Design Patents- What is their Importance?
- Design Patents help in Enhancing the Commercial Value of Products
- Helps with Fair Market Competition
- Get a Higher Return on Investment
Design patents are a form of legal protection granted to the ornamental design of an article. A design patent comes under the industrial design right. It is a form of legal protection for the unique visual traits of a manufactured item.
As a manufacturer, you may be granted a design patent if the product possesses a unique configuration or ornamentation. A design patent offers protection for the ornamental design of something with practical utility.
When considering filing patents, most inventors think of utility patents. The utility patents are suitable for a process, a product or an apparatus. A design patent can be extremely valuable under the right circumstances. In an application for a design patent, the inventor must claim specific features of the design that they want to protect.
Patents associated with design are helpful for the designers as they exclude others from manufacturing the same item. With a patent related to design, the manufacturer can secure each element of the product’s design.
Design Patents- What is their Importance?
Patents related to a product’s design can help in the prevention of knockoffs. You will obtain faster patent protection effectively. Inventors should be aware of the patent application process when filing the same to protect the product’s design from infringement.
In the US, the applications for patents related to design are kept secret till their confirmation. If you want to protect the creation of the product from imitation, apply for this domain. With designs appropriately registered, consumers can recognize and associate them with the proper inventors.
Design protection is an effective way to protect industrial and commercial product designs from imitation. A patent related to design contains numerous drawings with little text. However, you may include descriptions of each illustration. In the US, a patent related to design will be valid for fifteen years from the date it is issued. This type of patent can make your company successful in the longer run.
Design Patents help in Enhancing the Commercial Value of Products
Inventors should be aware of patent rights to secure their products from imitation. Registering a design under USPTO will enhance its commercial value. By registering the patent for the design, you can make it more marketable.
An item with a proprietary design will increase product positioning among potential customers. When compared to a utility patent, the cost of filing a patent related to design is less expensive. Another key highlight of this patent is the faster processing time.
The USPTO can process these patents in approximately 14 months. Patents related to designs don’t have any maintenance fees. Manufacturers can use the term “patent pending” as a notice on the product with this type of patent.
It is an excellent tool for marketing and deters infringement. Once you officially register the design, you have the right to sue any imitator. Therefore, design patents can effectively guard against a rising number of counterfeiters.
Helps with Fair Market Competition
Patents related to design can help with fair market competition. When numerous register their designs, it adds a competitive spirit among the market players. Designers have access to multiple options of intellectual property to select from.
Each product requires a different type of protection. The introduction of a large number of patents related to design boosts R&D activities. It also spurs further innovation and mutual benefits for companies. Filing design patents also offers you the ability to litigate. You will have the power to litigate the increasing number of counterfeiters.
Get a Higher Return on Investment
After registering the design, the applicant gains the official right to commercialize their products. However, registering a patent related to design can diversify their IP portfolio. It also enhances an organization’s intangible assets.
With the help of these intangible assets, companies can often create additional revenue streams. It eventually leads to a higher ROI.
With several benefits of design registration, it is essential to be aware of the basic guidelines. If you have a unique design for your product, filing design patents will be effective. You protect your creativity with the help of these patents.
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