IP Australia (The Australian Patent Office)
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\n\nThe Australian Designs Act defines a design, in relation to a product, as the overall appearance of the product resulting from one or more visual features of the product. Visual features include shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation of the product.
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\nIt is possible to use our Designs Act to protect against copying of a product that is largely functional where the shape, pattern or configuration is important to you. However, you need to realise that it is open to a third party to avoid infringement by gleaning the "functional concept" and creating a product with a different appearance that achieves the same functional purpose as your design.
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\nAlso, in some jurisdictions, for example the United States, it is may not be possible to achieve registered design protection for functional aspects of a design. Protection in the U.S. is generally limited to the aesthetic appeal of a product.
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\n\nIn Australia, a design must be "new" and "distinctive" in order for it to be enforceable.
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\nA design is said to be "new" unless it is identical to a design that forms part of the prior art base for the design. The prior art base includes designs publicly used in Australia and designs published in a document within or outside Australia.
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\nA design is said to be "distinctive" unless it is substantially similar in overall impression to a design that forms part of the prior art base for the design. The assessment is to be made from the informed user's point of view. An informed user is regarded as a nominal Australian person who is familiar with the product to which the design relates. The Act requires the person making the decision as to distinctiveness to give more weight to similarities between competing products than to differences. It is also important that the assessment be made with respect to the state of development of the prior art. .
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\nUnlike patents, there is no grace period for registered designs. Thus, you should contact us immediately if there has been any non-confidential disclosure of the design so that we can help you to understand your options.
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We need clear line drawings of the article to which the design is to be applied. These should include top plan, bottom plan, both sides, front and rear two dimensional views together with at least two three dimensional views from different viewpoints. The line drawings should not include any shading at all, apart from that which might be necessary to show a surface shape. The drawings should also be capable of repeated photocopying without loss of quality. It follows that lines that are too thin could be a problem.
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\nIn some cases, photographs can also be used provided they show the design clearly. The photographs should be in black and white and should be capable of being copied or scanned without loss of quality.
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\nAlways bear in mind that your protection will subsist in the representations that are filed. It follows that your protection can be enhanced by high quality drawings.
\n\nA design is registered within about 1 month after filing the application. However, it cannot be enforced until it has been examined and a certificate of registration has been issued. In fact, it is unlawful to make threats of legal proceedings unless a certificate has been issued.
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\nExamination of the registered design can be requested at any time during the life of the design.
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\nA registered design has a life of 10 years from the date of filing the application.
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\nThe design will be published as soon as it is registered. This means that it becomes part of the public domain. It follows that it will not be possible to withdraw the registered design and refile the application, for whatever reason.
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