Getting a patent can be very complex, in part because there are different types of patents to consider. They do not all work the same way or have similar applications. It’s crucial that you know which one you or your business will actually need to utilize.
There are three broad categories that include most patents. These are plant patents, design patents and utility patterns. Let’s look at what makes them different.
Plant patents
As the name implies, these are exclusively used for new plant variants. These have to be plants that you can’t find in any other situation – they are grown and cultivated intentionally, not plants found in the wild.
Design patents
A design patent generally looks at the “surface ornamentation” or the way that something looks. For instance, a company may want to patent the shape of a drink bottle that they produce. They’re not trying to get a patent on bottles in general, as many companies can use similar drinking vessels. But they want to patent that specific style or shape because it is distinctive.
Utility patents
The last type of patent is also the most common, and it focuses on the specific use that an invention has. Utility patents are often used by manufacturers, and they can apply to machines, processes and even chemical compositions. Many of these patents are taken by commercial operations where businesses want the exclusive right to sell the products that they have created.
If you’re interested in getting a patent, don’t assume that this is something you can do on your own. It can be very complex to sort through the legal process and ensure that you have the right type of patent. You need to work with an attorney, so please get in touch with us to learn more.
