Industrial Designs 

Features of shape or ornamentation that give a manufactured article visual appeal are called "industrial designs". Some objects that are the subject of industrial designs can also be protected by copyright, and some, in certain cases, can even be protected by trade-mark rights. However, a large number of such objects can only be protected by obtaining an industrial design registration, which has a term of ten years. Among the types of articles often protected by design registration are containers, furniture, home appliances, clothing items, and fashion accessories. Unlike a patent, an industrial design registration does not protect the functional features of an article, though sometimes both types of protection are available for a newly developed article of manufacture that incorporates both aesthetic and utilitarian aspects.   A design registration offers the opportunity for legal redress against others who subsequently produce articles with the same or very similar appearance.

The nature of design protection varies from country to country. Throughout the world, the law governing industrial designs is very complex, in part because designs merge both form and function. It would be imprudent for a person without legal training in the field to try to make an assessment of whether copyright or trade-mark rights may be available to protect a particular design, or whether the design may incorporate patentable features, and whether in any event an industrial design registration should be sought. If you have created a new design, you should consult with a patent agent or lawyer who has experience in intellectual property matters to ensure that potentially valuable rights are not lost.

Industrial Design Services:

The following are some of the services which we can offer to you in the industrial design area:

• searches and opinions as to the registrability of industrial designs;

• drafting, filing and prosecution of industrial design or design patent applications in countries around the world;

• advice and assistance in the enforcement of your industrial design, or conversely advice and assistance in the case where you are accused of infringing someone else’s design;

• assistance in the licensing, assignment or transfer of industrial design ownership rights, or other related aspects of business transactions.  

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