Design Patents and Registered Designs

In the U.S., you can protect a design against counterfeiting or copying with a design patent. Examples of designs that are frequently protected include designs for jewelry, clothes, furniture, appliances, automobiles, parts of automobiles, and consumer products like flashlights, blowdryers, and mobile phones and pet toys. Obtaining protection for a design costs much less than utility patent protection.

Outside the U.S., designs are protected in the form of registered designs. As with utility patents, there are treaties that make it easy to obtain design protection in multiple jurisdictions. Rigid deadlines must be met, however, as with utility patents so it is important to meet with a patent professional before disclosing your design publicly.