How to register an industrial design

Industrial design protects the ornamental external configuration of a three-dimensional object or a two-dimensional surface pattern — when endowed with novelty and originality that may serve as a type of industrial manufacturing.

What can be registered

• Plastic shape of objects (furniture, packaging, equipment)
• Ornamental patterns (prints, textures)
• Configuration of products with industrial application

What cannot

• Purely artistic works (these go to copyright)
• Isolated technical functions (these go to patent)
• Common configurations or those derived from essential technical function

Legal basis

Law 9.279/1996. Term is 10 years from filing, renewable for up to 3 successive 5-year periods (totaling 25 years).

How to send to the Agency

1. Gather: object description, views (front, side, top, perspective) on neutral background
2. Identify inventors/authors and titular institution
3. Send to nitrural@ufrrj.br
4. The Agency reviews, prepares the request and files at INPI

UFRRJ covers costs for technologies developed at the institution.

Official Agency page ↗

See also

• Patent — when there is technical function
• Trademark — when the goal is commercial identity
• INPI · Industrial Designs