Design Patents

Design patents protect the visual (non-functional) features of manufactured goods. For example, while a tread pattern on the bottom of an athletic shoe serves a utilitarian purpose, the unique appearance of a given pattern may be the claim subject matter of a design patent.

Often, the inventions that are most suited to protecting with design patents are articles that compete in the marketplace based, at least in part, on their aesthetics. For example, while all plastic containers may be more or less equally adept at holding beverages, a unique and visually pleasing bottle may be an asset worth protecting to your beverage company. Similarly, while the shape of an electric guitar body may play a minimal role in the tone of the instrument, protecting a unique body shape may be critical to keeping competitors from piggy-backing off of your creative design.

RPL has significant experience in protecting and enforcing design patents, its attorneys having patented and litigated designs for companies of all sizes. Taking advantage of our unique design patent experience, we deliver strategic design patent protection for your valuable assets.

Please contact us if you would like to learn more about protecting a particular design or formulating a strategy for your business’s designs in general.