Industrial design right

An industrial design right is an intellectual property right that protects how things look. It helps keep the look of everyday items special, so creators can enjoy the benefits of their unique designs.

An industrial design includes the shape, pattern, color, or mix of these in three-dimensional forms that look nice. These designs can be used to make products, industrial goods, or crafts, and they are important in areas like manufacturing and art.

Under the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs, managed by WIPO, designers can register their designs in many countries with just one application. Most countries require that the design be new or original to get protection.

Design rights started in the United Kingdom in 1787 with a law about linen printing, and since then, they have grown to cover many kinds of products around the world. Registering an industrial design right is similar to applying for a patent, as both protect creations and inventions in different ways.

Law making

Main article: Design right (United Kingdom)

Main article: Japanese design law

An industrial design right protects the look of useful objects. It helps guard the special appearance of everyday items like tools, furniture, or electronic devices. This protection ensures that one person’s unique design cannot be copied by others without permission.

Different countries have their own rules for protecting industrial designs. For example, in Canada, a design must be new and original to get protection for up to ten years. In the European Union, designs can be protected for up to 25 years. In Japan, protection lasts for 20 years from the date the design is registered. These laws help creators by giving them exclusive rights to their designs for a certain period.

Duration of design rights

The time a design right lasts depends on the country. It can be from 15 to 50 years. Countries in the WIPO Hague system must say the longest time they will protect a design right. Some places work together, like the African Intellectual Property Organization, the European Union, and the Benelux.

Industrial design applications

From 1883 to the early 1950s, Japan and the United States of America received a similar number of industrial design applications each year, usually less than 10,000.

From the 1950s to the late 1990s, Japan had the most applications each year, with about 50,000 at its peak.

In 2022, about 1.1 million industrial design applications were filed worldwide. Asia had the most, making up 70.3% of all designs filed that year. Europe was next with 22.4%, and North America followed with 4.4%.