Design Patents

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Design Patents

Design patents cover the appearance of a manufactured article. A design patent may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.

In a design patent the patent is issued as a result of the design embodied in or applied to an article of manufacture (or portion of an article) and not the article itself. Design patents are often issued for such items as jewelry, toys, furniture, and other household items.

Design Patents are issued for 14 years.
See also How to File a Design Patent Application.

For more information about design patents, see the article "What are Design Patents and When are They Useful?"

Sample Design Patent