Intellectual Property

A South African registered design protects the appearance of an article, unlike a patent which protects the underlying invention on which an article is based. Even though the underlying principle of...

Patent & design applications are not mutually exclusive, and there are many instances in which it would be advantageous to file both patent & design applications for the same new product. In...

South African registered designs may be filed for the appearance of an article, provided that the particular appearance is new when compared to other articles of a similar nature. In South Africa,...

A South African Design may be protected in terms of the The South African Designs Act No. 195 of 1993 which gives the owner of a registered design control over their design for a limited...

Wessel van Wyk and Kimberley Rose Smith contributed to the Design Rights: Functionality and Scope of Protection publication. Read their contributions on the following pages:Requirements...

What is industrial design? An industrial design is the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of an article. The design may consist of three-dimensional features, such as the shape or surface of an article,...

Design protection in South Africa is awarded based on the article appearance and not the underlying invention of the article. Design protection is cheaper than patent protection and is often in...

Registered designs (South Africa) must be renewed within the allotted timeframe and must be done on the 3rd anniversary of the registration. There is a six months grace...

Applications for design registrations are filed at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission in Pretoria. Some designs are necessitated by function and others are aesthetic, although it is...

The difference between aesthetic and functional designs are briefly explained below to help you make an informed decision regarding the appropriate section for your specific design. In both cases, a...

Industrial designer Scott Summit founded Bespoke Innovations in 2010 in collaboration with an orthopaedic surgeon, to create breathtaking artificial limbs that the patients themselves can choose and...

A registered design protects the appearance of art, unlike a patent which protects the underlying invention on which an article is based. The appearance of an object may be protected by...

Concept design is a form of illustration where the main goal is to present a design for use in films, games, animation, or products, cars, buildings, before it is put into the final...

The IDA (International Design Alliance) is a venture between the international organizations that represent design and aim to bring the benefits of design to world bodies, governments, business and...

Design rights refer to the intellectual property rights associated with the shape, patterns, and configuration of an item, combination of texture, shape and patterns as well as ornamentation...

Design applications don't have not be complicated although the various terms and conditions may become confusing. A South African registered design protects the appearance of an article, unlike a...

South African design rights fall into two major categories, that of aesthetic and functional. The difference between aesthetic and functional design rights lies mainly in the purpose. Aesthetic...

An enforceable right is only obtained once a design has been registered. A design is only registered by the South African Designs Office a few months after...

A Design application usually takes about eight months from the date of filing the application until notification of registration is received from the South African Designs Office. If...