In contrast to patents, focusing on the technical functionality of products, industrial designs protect the visual appearance of a product, including its design, geometrical form, graphical elements, and other features.

To avoid infringing already existing IP protection and to clarify your opportunity to register your own industrial design, a check of such a design is recommended.

Executing an Internet search using a drawing or picture of the intended design will provide you with a first understanding of whether a similar design is already used and known to the general public; however, this does not tell you if such a design is already protected or not.

Numerous options are available for picture searches on the Internet, including:

• TinEye (© 2023 TinEye), a dedicated reverse image search engine.
• Google Images (© Google), a search engine for images

Executing an IP database search helps indicate a design's potential protection, including:

• DESIGNview (© EUIPO), allowing graphical searches.
• eSearch plus (© EUIPO), allowing graphical searches.
• Global Design Database (© WIPO), allowing descriptive searches.

Only first clarifications are typically possible without professional advice.

Conclusions based on your own limited understanding may only result in malinvestments or legal conflicts.

Seek support from an IP professional experienced with industrial designs.

Case law and local practice are important and will be provided by an IP professional.