Consumers are faced with an overwhelming number of options in the marketplace, and to remain competitive your products will have to stand apart from the rest. How a product looks can be the deciding factor for consumers who are faced with too many choices. A unique product design is one of the most effective ways to distinguish your company’s product from your competitors’ products.
When your company has found commercial success because of a unique product design, you should secure your valuable business asset against theft and unlawful copying with design patent protection. Let the skilled professionals at The Rapacke Law Group help you develop an intellectual property strategy that is right for your business. We can help you decide if you will benefit from design patent protection and we can help you file a design patent application and/or trademark registration for your unique product designs.
Innovative product designs deserve protection
One of the largest drivers of successful businesses is having a product design that resonates well with consumers. The design of a product can have a huge impact on the marketability of a product. The design of a product often intrigues the consumer – drawing attention your product and your brand. Uniquely designed products are more likely to catch the attention of consumers and are more likely to be recognized by consumers because unique designs are more memorable.
Since one of the first things that consumers notice about a product is its design, many companies strategically develop uniquely designed products in order to make lasting impressions on consumers. A unique product design differentiates your product from the crowd and can influence a consumer’s perception of your product and your company, as well as how the consumer experiences your product. Design patents can be obtained for:
- Uniquely designed and shaped mechanical systems and hardware.
- Graphic user interfaces and display panels for software applications.
- Animated graphical user interface sequences.
- Mobile application interfaces and software application icons.
- Specifically stylised and shaped medical instruments.
When a company invests heavily in the development of its product designs, proper protection is crucial. Design patent protection safeguards your product designs from being stolen by competitors. Either before presenting your innovative product design to the public, or within a year of debuting your unique product design to the public, it is in the best interest of your company to work with an experienced design patent attorney to secure design patent protection. Waiting too long to file a design patent application could jeopardize your legal rights!
At The Rapacke Law Group, we take the time to understand the nuances of your products and their significance in your overall business strategy. Having a broader understanding allows us to obtain stronger and more effective design patents, creating a barrier that protects from both blatant “knock-offs” and more subtle attempts to mimic your proprietary designs.
A fixed-fee approach to design patent protection
We pursue every avenue to reduce costs for our clients. To ensure that objectives are clearly defined and budgets are met we offer the majority of our services at a cost-effective fixed fee, including:
- Preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications at the USPTO
- Offering opinions on patentability, validity, infringement, and freedom to use
- Enforcing patent rights in U.S. district courts and on appeal
- Addressing USPTO post issuance proceedings
To add further value, we help our clients to identify new market opportunities and strategic partners.
