Patent Definition

A patent for an invention is a grant of a property right by the government to the inventor. The term of a patent is generally 20 years from the date on which the application for the patent was filed. Patents give the inventor the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention in the United States or importing the invention into the United States.

3 Types of Patents

1. Utility Patent - any new and useful method, process, machine, device, manufactured item, or chemical compound.
2. Design Patent - new, original or ornamental design for an article of manufacture granted to protect the appearance rather than the function of a product.
3. Plant Patent - the invention or discovery of a plant variety that can be asexually reproduced (includes those such as grafts or spores).

Obtaining Copies of Patents

1. The United States Patent & Trademark Office website has made patent images available back to 1790 with a "TIFF" viewer upgrade. See instructions on their Web site for downloading a free TIFF viewer.
2. Given a patent number(s), we can send or fax copies to you, billing you 20¢ a page (no postage fee). Patents usually run between 7-14 pages.
3. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Office of Public Records, Document Services Division will send you copies of patents for a flat fee of $3.00 per patent (no postage fee) usually within one week. Call 571-272-3150.