1500, 1600, 1700 - Design, Plants, Miscellaneous

Question 1

How many claims can a design patent have?

Answer 1

Only one that refers to the drawings

Question 2

What does a design patent protect

Answer 2

the exterior appearance of a manufactured object - only the ornamental design

Question 3

What is the term of a design Patent?

Answer 3

14 years

Question 4

Can you patent designs that are offensive to race, religion, gender, etc?

Answer 4

No, not ornamental apparently

Question 5

Can design patents be expedited?

Answer 5

Yes, with large fee and other requirements

Question 6

What do solid and dotted lines mean in a design patent?

Answer 6

solid = invention

dotted = non-patented environment/example

Question 7

Can you use photographs to show a design for a design patent?

Answer 7

yes

Question 8

Can you use color drawings for design patent?

Answer 8

Yes, but you need to petition and state why it would be necessary, include 3 sets, pay a fee, and language

Question 9

What sort of plants are patentable?

Answer 9

All plants are patentable except for bacteria or tuber-propogated, as long as they were invented in a cultivated state AND asexually reproduced (e.g., initially reproduced from other than seeds.. it indeed can later be reproduced by seeds).

Question 10

How do you claim a plant in a plant patent?

Answer 10

Description must be as complete as reasonably possible.

Question 11

What are the limits placed on PTO personnel with respect to expressing opinions on patent validity?

Answer 11

They cannot express any opinions on validity of patents, must presume patents are valid