It has been observed that counterfeiters don’t just stop at copying your logo or brand name. They literally copy everything from the product itself to even packaging and the images you use to market your product. They do this to make their fake product look like the genuine one. There is a strong need to shut down these fakers in order to protect your business and brand name.
The first step is to track down these fakers on the internet. You may use sites that list sellers in various categories. Search for your own brand name and see how many results you receive. Design patents help in protecting your business but at this stage these patents cannot do much. You can’t simply report of a counterfeited product on sites like Amazon. It’s better to purchase that fake product and then show with evidence that this product was a copy of an original product. Draw a comparison and ask the sites to take those fake products down.
Patents are usually issued for a product or equipment. These patents protect the utilitarian features of a product. In order to safeguard the ornamental appearance of your product, you need design patents. These are different from trademarks and copyrights. You can protect the shape of your product by using design patents or trademarks. However, the laws applying to both these types of intellectual property are different. If you require detailed protection, a design patent may not be sufficient.
A design patent is defined by using specifications and drawing disclosures. Figures and descriptions are used to define and identify an original product. Patent applications have to follow a specific format derived from the patent laws and regulations. Since this is a legal document, you should prepare it after careful study and research.