Copyright protects creative design, but not when the design has a function. Design Patents protect design elements and at a lower cost than a utility patent, and thus work well to augment utility patents. This is Film Spool U.S. Design Patent D836423, which augments Utility Patent US9708154 for an Off-Road Rolling Film Vision System, along with Design Patents USD836564, USD900404, and USD901779 for the other components. Film Spool US Design Patent D836423 has eight drawings showing the front and back (Fig. 1 and 2), four sides, plus one perspective (Fig. 7, here) and a section view (Fig. 8).
Note that design patent drawings ARE NOT engineering drawings, and CAD drawings are not acceptable. A design patent must show every feature of the design and every feature must have sufficient views to indicate relative position and depth, and follow highly specific rules. Design patent drafters are specially trained drafters, as are design patent examiners. Many design patent examiners earned an M.F.A.! Got a Bright Idea? Visit GotABrightIdea.com or call 925-600-7342.
