Industrial Patent Design Services
In a world that is moving fast and focused on innovation, visual design plays a key role in differentiating products. Whether it’s the mechanical appearance of a smartphone, the contour of a chair or the contour of an artistic lamp, these design aspects have earned protection under the law. Which is where Industrial Design Rights come in.
At LogicizeIP LLP, we offer specialized advice on obtaining industrial design rights and industrial design patents, and on the ways in which can be combined to create a comprehensive IP protection strategy. If you’ve developed a product that is visually distinctive, you will need robust industrial design protection to prevent it from being copied.
What are Industrial Design Rights?
Design rights are a type of industrial property right and are often referred to as industrial designs.
This includes:
- Shape and configuration
- Surface patterns and ornamentation
- Lines, contours, and colors
These rights don’t cover how something works, only its appearance or design—that’s what a patent is for. But in combination, in the form of patents and industrial designs, designers and inventors can bring their work to market with a guarantee that the full form and function of their creations are protected.
Trademark and Patent for Industrial Design – A Robust IP Strategy
One common mistake that business owners often make is to choose between protecting either the patent or the industrial design, when what they really should be doing is to apply for both of them if they can. INDUSTRIAL DESIGN / PATENT approach enables:
- Protect the function of your invention (via patent)
- Lock the look (with design rights)
- Make the case stronger for IP enforcement.
- Enhance the commercial potential in your product
- Build layers of legal protection
For instance, if you have designed an original coffee maker with a breakthrough brewing system and unique outer form, the brewing process can be patented while the way it looks can be protected under industrial design rights.
What is an Industrial Design Patent?
Note that while you often hear “design patents” in the US, correct term in other jurisdictions such as India and EU is industrial design registration. Whatever the name, the goal is the same, protecting the look of a product.
An owner of an industrial design patent (or registration) has the exclusive rights to use, sell, and license the design. It prohibits people from stealing the design, making copies of it or using it without approval.
Here’s what is typically covered by an industrial design patent:
Consumer product shapes
Fashion designs and apparel elements
Furniture, packaging, and accessories
Automobile parts and machinery shells
UI/UX Screens and Icons (in some jurisdictions)
Benefits of Industrial Design Protection
There are many benefits to obtaining industrial design protection to obtaining protection for designs which translate into many advantages for businesses, designers and makers:
Exclusive Ownership
You receive 100% exclusive, all usage rights in the design.
Market Benefit
Unique design enhances value and perception of your product.
Legal Remedies
Protect your rights from counterfeiters and imitators.
Brand Perception
Maintain the appearance and texture that people link to your brand.
Licensing Opportunities – Sell or license your design to others.
Without protection of industrial design, your product’s appearance could be copied by competitors with impunity.
Patent vs Industrial Design
| Feature | Patent | Industrial Design |
|---|---|---|
| What it Protects | Functional and technical aspects of an invention | Visual appearance, shape, pattern, configuration, and ornamentation |
| Examples | A new engine mechanism, software algorithm, medical device | Shape of a bottle, design of a chair, phone UI/UX, patterns on clothing |
| Purpose | To prevent others from making, using, or selling your invention | To prevent others from copying the appearance of your product |
| Requirements | Novelty, inventive step (non-obviousness), industrial applicability | Novelty, originality (sometimes individual character depending on region) |
| Duration | 20 years from the filing date (non-renewable after expiry) | Usually 10 years, extendable up to 25 years in many jurisdictions |
| Registration Name | Patent application | Design registration or design patent (US only) |
| Jurisdiction Terms | Patent (India, EU, US, etc.) | Design Registration (India, EU), Design Patent (US) |
| Enforcement | Prevents unauthorized use or manufacturing of the invention | Prevents imitation of the design’s look and feel |
| Commercial Use | Can be licensed or assigned for manufacturing and distribution rights | Can be licensed or sold to use the design on various products |
| Filing Authority | Patent Office (e.g., Indian Patent Office, USPTO, EPO) | Design Wing of the Patent Office or Design-specific authority |
A patent and industrial design application in one provides the widest possible protection. A patent keeps others from making or using your innovation, but industrial design rights keep them from selling a generic, copycat product that looks just like it.
How to File for Industrial Design Protection
Our team makes the industrial design registration process easy:
- Design Audit – We check the novelty and eligibility of your design.
- Documentation Preparation – We assist you in preparing the necessary views, descriptions and claims.
- Filing of the Application – We file this application at the national or international patent office.
- Publication & Registration – Your design will be published and registered after acceptance.
- Renewal & Enforcement – We follow deadlines and, if necessary, assist in enforcing your rights.
If you also want to protect the technical function, an application for a patent is submitted at the same time, coordinating between design protection and patent protection.
Local and Global Industrial Design Protection
We help protect ‘industrial design’ at LogicizeIP LLP, locally and beyond borders. This includes:
India
Filing at the Design Wing of the Indian Patent Office.
United States
Obtaining a Design Patent in the US.
EU
Filing for Community Design protection at the EUIPO.
Worldwide
Filing through the Hague System (WIPO) for protection in 90+ countries.
Patent Register and Design Publication
Upon acceptance, your design will be entered on to the public register of patents or designs. This publicises your rights so that you can:
- Claim ownership
- Deter copycats
License or otherwise make the Rights available to others
To use registration as evidence in court battles
We keep reliable records in the patent and industrial design registers – helping to stay on top of renewals, monitor infringement and enforce title to the designs.
Who Needs Industrial Design Rights?
Our services are ideal for:
- Product Designers – Wanting to safeguard their designs
- Startups and Entrepreneurs – New consumer product introduction
- Brands – Self branding with proprietary brands
- Fashion and Lifestyle Brands – Safe guarding clothing and accessory design
- Tech Companies – for protection on UI/UX design and device look
If your product’s look is crucial to driving customer engagement, industrial design rights are not only a good idea, they are a necessity.
Why Choose Us?
- Skilled in Patent and Industrial Design Filing
- Fast, Hassle-Free Process
- Comprehensive IP Strategy
- In-country and Foreign Filing Support
- Best Packages for Starter and Business
- Legal and Technical Staff Available—Experienced IP Lawyers and Technical Experts
From an application for a single industrial design to the administration of a global portfolio, we’ve got you covered.
Ready to protect your designs?
Protect Your Original Product Design against Copying or Theft. Secure your industrial design rights and integrate with a robust patent and industrial design strategy to preserve form and function.
📞 Get in touch with us today to receive a free consultation now or apply online for industrial design protection. We look forward to helping you make your design a long lasting competitive edge.