+33 1 42 24 89 36 - 33 rue de Naples 75008 PARIS

Design Patents

CAPRI handles the procedures for the filing, registration, granting and renewal of design patents in the different Patents Offices:

  • Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle in Paris (INPI)
  • European Union Intellectual Property Office in Alicante (EUIPO)
  • World Intellectual Property Office in Geneva (WIPO)
  • National Patent Offices in all countries of the world

In the case of the design of industrial products, CAPRI adopts an American-style approach, where designs are related rights of patents.
Therefore, designs are mainly managed by Patent Attorneys.

Practicle Case

The packaging industry develops products that are inventions protectable by utility patents, and that also present designs protectable by design patents. Sometimes these aspects are closely linked, but generally they are complementary.
A cream dispenser button, for example, may be equipped with a closure.
This closure can be protected by utility patents for its technical and functional characteristics, and design patents can protect its external shapes and appearances.