[Green Circle Talks About Cross-Border] How many years is the patent for appearance valid?

How many years is the patent valid?

In the field of design, an Appearance Patent is a form of patent that protects the design of a product. An appearance patent ensures that the designer has exclusive rights to the appearance of the product he or she has created, preventing others from using or copying the design without authorization. This leads to a common question: how long is an appearance patent valid for?

According to the Appearance Patent Law, generally speaking, the validity period of an appearance patent is 15 years. This means that after obtaining an Appearance Patent, the designer will have exclusive rights to the design for the next 15 years. This period of time allows the designer to establish his or her brand image and market position in the marketplace, while protecting the design from unfair competition.

However, it should be noted that the validity period of an appearance patent is not permanent. Once the term of the appearance patent expires, the design will be in the public domain and can be freely used by anyone, which is a way of encouraging design innovation and progress. Therefore, designers will often consider other forms of protection, such as brand registration or other forms of patents, to protect their designs from infringement before the expiration of the appearance patent.

Apart from general appearance patents, some countries or regions also provide supplementary protection measures for design patents, such as the extended protection system for design patents in the United States. Under certain circumstances, designers may apply for extension of protection to extend the protection period of their design patents, so as to better protect their design rights and interests.

Generally speaking, the validity period of appearance patents is 15 years, which provides designers with sufficient protection and room for market competition. After applying for an appearance patent, the designer should consider in a timely manner how to continue to protect the rights and interests of his/her design after the expiration of the patent term, so as to ensure that his/her design achievements will be protected and respected in the long run.