Design Patentability Search

Design Patentability Search

Ensure your product’s unique look is truly original and legally defensible.

Patent Landscape Search — Final Code

What is a Design Patentability Search?

A Design Patentability Search evaluates the "novelty" and "non-obviousness" of a product's ornamental appearance. Unlike utility patents, which protect how a product works, design patents protect how it looks. We conduct a rigorous search of existing industrial designs to ensure your shape, configuration, or surface ornamentation isn't already registered.

Design Patentability Search
Why Conduct This Search

Why Conduct This Search?

  • Avoid Rejection — Identify potential "confusingly similar" designs before filing with the IPO, USPTO, EPO, or WIPO.
  • Define Scope — Understand the "crowdedness" of your design field to draft stronger claim applications.
  • Mitigate Infringement — Ensure your new product launch won't trigger design infringement lawsuits from competitors.
Our Approach

How We Do It at Intellect Bastion:

  • Visual Feature Breakdown — We analyze the design’s unique contours, lines, and textures.
  • Locarno & Design Class Search — We navigate complex classification systems like the Locarno Agreement and national design classes.
  • Global Database Screening — We search DesignView, WIPO Hague Express, and regional industrial design gazettes.
  • Non-Patent Image Search — We scan catalogs, social media, and trade journals to find "prior art" in the public domain.
Why Choose IB

Why Choose Intellect Bastion?

Our experts have a keen eye for visual nuance. We provide high-resolution reports comparing your design side-by-side with the closest prior art found.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to top questions about Patentability Search, novelty evaluation, and the patent filing process.

How is a design search different from a standard utility patent search? ▼
Design searches focus purely on visual similarity (shape, configuration, ornamentation) rather than the functional "how it works" aspect.
Do you search for "look-alike" products in non-patent sources like Pinterest or catalogs? ▼
Absolutely. Any public visual—from a 1920s catalog to a modern Instagram post—can qualify as prior art that blocks a design patent.
What happens if a design is similar but serves a different function? ▼
In design law, the function is often irrelevant. If a teapot looks like a specialized industrial pump, the pump could still be used as prior art against the teapot design..
How do you handle searches for graphical user interfaces (GUIs) or icons? ▼
We search specialized digital databases for screen layouts, static icons, and even animated transitions that have been registered as designs.
Which design databases (Locarno classification, etc.) do you utilize? ▼
We use the Locarno Classification system, WIPO’s Global Design Database, and individual country registries (IPO,USPTO, EUIPO, JPO).
Can you search for 3D shapes and ornamental patterns? ▼
Yes. We analyze the 3D silhouette, surface textures, and repeating patterns to ensure your product's "visual DNA" is unique.
How do you determine if a design is "obvious" compared to existing designs? ▼
We look for "primary references" (something very similar) and "secondary references" that could be combined to create your design in the eyes of an ordinary observer.
Does the search cover international design registrations (Hague System)? ▼
Yes. We include all international filings under the Hague Agreement to ensure your design is unique on a global scale.
What is the turnaround time for a design prior art search? ▼
Because these searches are highly visual and targeted, we typically deliver a comprehensive report within 3–5 business days.
Can you help me determine if my product packaging is protectable? ▼
Yes. Unique bottle shapes, box configurations, and even unboxing experiences can be searched and protected via design patents.
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Don’t File Blind — Do a Patentability Search First

Give your invention the best start! Learn why a patentability search is crucial and how to check originality using the right tools and strategies.

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Check My Design’s Patentability