Whoever invents any new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
The provisions of this title relating to patents for inventions shall apply to patents for designs, except as otherwise provided.
另有補述：
A design patent protects only the ornamental appearance of an article, and not its structure or utilitarian features.
設計專利僅保護物品的裝飾外觀，而非結構或是功能特徵，比如"好用"的滑鼠，並非是設計專利的標的，包括外觀與其功能是由一般認知的實用專利(utility patent)保護(美國專利並無區分發明或是新型)
其他設計專利的特點整理如下：
- 設計專利的說明書很短，依照一種制式的格式即可，重點是"圖"
- 僅准一個申請專利範圍
- 圖示僅需表達外觀即可，無須表達功能性特徵
- 核准後無須支付年費
- 設計專利與著作權(copyright)不同的是：設計專利應用於具有產業利用性的物品"外觀特徵"上，並需要具有新穎與獨創性；而著作權則是可保護無產業利用的作品，如書、歌曲、繪畫等，且可獨立於其他物品之外
- 同一個設計專利可與商標(trademark)並存，兩者的保護的標的不同：如，經設計專利保護的物品禁止他人製造、販賣與使用，侵權比對是依照"人眼"作外觀相似比對，與物品內容無關；而經商標保護的物品的侵權比對則是判斷是否有混淆(confusion)、誤導或是欺騙公眾購買等行為上
原文：To infringe a design patent, the infringing container and the container shape shown in the design patent must look alike to the eye of the ordinary observer. It makes no difference what is inside of the container. Under trademark law, the infringing container must be such as to cause confusion, mistake, or deception among the consuming public. This determination will, of necessity, take into account what was actually sold within each container. In addition, courts analyzing a trademark infringement action would look at the buying habits of the consuming public, and the sales methods used by each manufacturer. - 設計專利可核准顯示於電腦螢幕上的圖案，如icon
原文：In addition to these standard uses for design patents, patent attorneys are expanding the use of design patents by applying for protection on software displays. Design patents have already been granted on icons which appear on computer displays, and the uses of design patents will continue to expand.
介紹一個平面設計的設計專利，則無須提供3D或是多餘的圖案
這是一件只有圖示、沒有說明書、有一個Claim的戒指，顯見不用描述文字亦可
近代許多設計案都使用很多的圖示，從不同的角度來表達設計概念
如這件，用了32張圖示
Ron
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