What are the various types of United States Patents?
There are several types of United States Patents. The two most common types are utility patents and design patents.
A utility patent protects a new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition or any improvement thereof. This is the most common type of patent and it is what most often associate with patents.
A design patent protects a new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. As such, a design patent protects the ornamental appearance of an invention. As such, this is a somewhat narrower patent in terms of the scope of protection as compared to a utility patent.