ARTICLE · 02 OCTOBER 2024

Guidance On Design Applications For Multi-Component Products: Understanding The Latest UKIPO Practice

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The UKIPO's updated Design Practice Note clarifies that design applications must focus on a single, unitary product, meaning components must work cohesively. Applications featuring unrelated items will be rejected, but division or disclaimers may resolve objections.

United KingdomIntellectual Property

Anastasia Troshkova

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has recently released an updated Design Practice Note (DPN) that provides valuable guidance on the submission of design applications for products comprised of multiple components.

Unitary Product

According to section 1(2) of the Registered Designs Act 1949, a design application must focus on the appearance of a "single, unitary product." This means that while a product can consist of several components, all of these must work together cohesively as one product. The UKIPO specifies that applications presenting multiple unrelated objects will not be permissible under a single design application.

To determine if a product qualifies as a unitary product, several factors will be considered, such as:

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