Design Patent Questions

A United States design patent protects the shape and surface ornamentation applied to a manufactured article. Design patents may be obtained for the shapes of products, for example, the shape of a table, a fragrance bottle or watch as well as for the surface ornamentation on a useful article, such as a design applied to handle of a spoon. Design patent protection is also available for computer-generated icons and typefaces.
In most cases, a design patent will be granted between one and three years from the filing date. As in the case of utility patents, procedures are available for expediting the processing of a design patent application.
A design patent has a 14 year term beginning on the date on which the design patent issues. There are no maintenance fees for design patents.