Most people search only for utility patents and miss design patents entirely, or the other way round. They protect different things, so you search for them differently.
The difference in one line
- Utility patent: protects how a thing works, is made or is used, defined by written claims. Up to 20 years from filing.
- Design patent: protects the ornamental appearance shown in the drawings. In the US, 15 years from grant. The single claim is basically "the ornamental design ... as shown".
Searching utility patents
- Write the function in plain words ("lid that locks when tilted").
- Search Google Patents or USPTO Patent Public Search with several synonym sets.
- Open the best hits, note their CPC classification codes, and browse those codes.
- Read claim 1 of each close result and compare it with your feature list.
Searching design patents
- Words help less here. Design patents have short titles ("Bottle", "Pet bowl").
- Search by product name and restrict to design documents: in Google Patents, the number starts with USD; in USPTO Patent Public Search, use the design databases.
- Browse by Locarno class or the USPTO design class (D1-D34) for your product type, for example D7 for tableware and D30 for animal husbandry (pet products).
- Compare the drawings to your product's overall look. Solid lines are claimed; dashed lines are not.
Which do you need?
If your product's value is a mechanism or a new way of working, the utility side matters most. If it's a commodity with a distinctive shape (cases, bottles, furniture), design patents are often the bigger risk and opportunity. Many products have both.
How our report helps
Our $99 first-look report searches 9.7M US/WO patent families by text and ranks the 10 closest against your features. It is strongest on utility patents; for design, use it to find the relevant classes and companies, then review drawings yourself. Browse real examples in our product patent landscapes. Not legal advice.
Check your invention
The 10 closest patents to your idea, charted feature by feature, in 24 hours for $99.
Not legal advice. Not exhaustive.