Protect how your product looks, in every market you sell.
A distinctive design sells products, and it is often the first thing competitors copy. Our attorneys and design drawing specialists search, file and defend design patents and registered designs worldwide, from a single country to a Hague international application.
- Global coverageIndia, US, EU, China, Japan and Hague
- Drawing specialistsViews prepared to each office's rules
- Every deadline trackedFiling, priority and renewals
- One teamFrom search to registration
It protects how a product looks, not how it works.
A design patent, called a registered design in many countries, protects the visual appearance of a product. How the product works is protected by a utility patent. Many successful products need both, and we help you decide.
Appearance
The features you can see, shown in drawings or photographs filed with the application.
- Shape and configurationThe three-dimensional form of the product or a part of it
- Surface ornamentation and patternLines, contours, textures and decorative features
- Graphical user interfaces and iconsScreen designs, where the office accepts them
- Parts of a productA handle, a lamp or a sole, claimed on its own in many offices
Function
The way a product works, how it is made or what it does, which a design patent does not cover.
- Technical function and mechanismsHow the product operates or solves a problem
- Methods and processesHow the product is made or used
- Materials and compositionsWhat the product is made from
- Features dictated only by functionShapes with no design freedom are usually excluded
Everything a design needs, from search to registration and beyond.
Use one service or all five. Each is handled by attorneys who know design practice and specialists who prepare drawings to each office’s exact requirements.
Design patent search
Registered and published designs checked in the Hague Express, USPTO, EUIPO, Indian and other databases, with a view on novelty and risk.
Design patent drawings
Views, shading and broken lines prepared to each office’s rules, so the drawings define exactly what you claim.
Design patent filing
National, regional and Hague filings, with novelty statements, classification and priority claims handled correctly.
Design office action response
Objections on novelty, classification, drawings or formalities answered with arguments and corrected views.
Design opposition
Conflicting designs opposed before registration or cancelled after it, and your own designs defended when they are challenged.
Filed first in one country? You usually have 6 months to file elsewhere and claim that priority date.
Designs across every industry where looks drive sales.
From smartphone housings to perfume bottles, our team has protected product designs for global brands, manufacturers and start-ups.
Consumer electronics
Phones, wearables, chargers and accessories.
Fashion and accessories
Footwear, bags, eyewear, watches and jewellery.
Packaging
Bottles, containers, closures and retail packaging.
Furniture and home
Chairs, lighting, kitchenware and fixtures.
Automotive
Body panels, lamps, wheels and interior parts.
GUIs and icons
Screen layouts, icons and animated interfaces, where the office allows.
Medical devices
Instruments, wearables and device housings.
Industrial products
Tools, machinery housings and equipment.
Each office protects designs in its own way.
Names, examination and terms differ from office to office. We choose the mix of national, regional and Hague filings that covers your markets at the right cost.
- Right granted
- Registered design under the Designs Act, 2000
- Maximum term
- 10 years, renewable once for 5 more
- Right granted
- Design patent
- Maximum term
- 15 years from grant
- Right granted
- Registered Community design, one right for all EU states
- Maximum term
- Up to 25 years, renewed every 5
- Right granted
- Design patent
- Maximum term
- 15 years from filing
- Right granted
- Design registration
- Maximum term
- 25 years from filing
- Right granted
- One international application, many countries
- Maximum term
- At least 15 years, depending on each country
Terms are summarised for guidance and may depend on renewals and filing dates. Need another country? We file designs worldwide through local counsel.
From first sketch to registered design.
Most design applications follow the same path. We manage each step, keep every deadline and give you a clear recommendation at each decision point.
- 01
Search
Earlier designs checked for novelty and risk.
- 02
Drawings
Views prepared to each office’s rules.
- 03
Filing
National, regional or Hague application filed.
- 04
Examination
The office checks formalities and, in many countries, novelty.
- 05
Response
Objections answered with arguments or corrected views.
- 06
Registration
Design registered, with renewals docketed.
Showing a design at a trade fair, online or to buyers before filing can destroy its novelty. Some countries give a short grace period, but many do not, so file first and launch second.
Design patent filingThe drawings are the design patent.
Unlike a utility patent, a design is defined almost entirely by its drawings. Small choices at filing decide how broad your protection is, and whether a copy with minor changes still infringes. We plan four things with you before we file.
Plan your design filingJurisdiction
Where you need protection, and the best route to get there.
- National filings in key markets
- EU-wide registered Community design
- Hague international application
Timing
When to file, so disclosure never costs you the right.
- File before launch or trade fairs
- 6-month priority window
- Grace periods where available
Drawings and scope
What to claim, and how to show it.
- Whole product or part only
- Broken lines for unclaimed features
- Views, shading and surface detail
Budget
A clear view of cost across the life of the design.
- Filing and official fees
- Drawings and responses
- Renewals over the full term
Questions about design patents.
Short answers to what clients ask us most. For advice on your own design, speak to one of our attorneys.
Launching a new product?
Send us images of the design and your target markets. We will confirm the route, timeline and fees.
Contact a design attorney01What is a design patent?
A right that protects the visual appearance of a product, such as its shape, configuration or surface ornamentation. It lets the owner stop others from making, selling or importing products with the same or a similar design. In many countries it is called a registered design or design registration.
02What is the difference between a design patent and a utility patent?
A design patent protects how a product looks. A utility patent protects how it works, how it is made or what it does. They protect different things, so a product can be covered by both.
03How long does design protection last?
It depends on the office: for example, 15 years from grant for a US design patent, up to 25 years for an EU registered Community design, and 10 years plus a 5-year renewal in India.
04How long does it take to register a design?
Some offices register designs within a few months, while others, such as the USPTO, examine designs in more depth and take longer. We give you an expected timeline for each country before filing.
05Can one application protect my design in many countries?
Yes. A Hague international application filed through WIPO can cover many member countries and regions in one filing, with one set of fees in one currency. Some countries still examine the design locally.
06Can I show my design before filing?
It is safest not to. Public disclosure before filing can destroy novelty. Some offices allow a grace period, but rules differ, so file before any launch, trade fair or online publication.
07What drawings do I need?
Usually a set of views, such as front, back, sides, top, bottom and perspective, prepared to each office’s rules. Broken lines can show features you do not claim. Our drawing specialists prepare them for you.
08Can I challenge a competitor’s design?
Yes. Some offices allow an opposition before a design is registered, and almost all allow a registered design to be cancelled or declared invalid, usually on the basis of an earlier design. We also defend our clients’ designs against these challenges.
Launching soon? File before you show.
Send us images of your design and the markets you need. We will reply with the right route, a timeline and a clear fee estimate.