If you've just finished working on a new line of clothing, you're probably wondering whether you can protect it with a patent? The USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) issues design patents that protect the aesthetics or ornamental appearance of an object and utility patents that protect the functional aspects of an article of clothing. So, can a patent protect your clothing?

如果你刚刚完成了新一季的服装设计，你可能会好奇是否可以为其申请专利？美国专利及商标局（USPTO）可授权外观设计专利，用以保护产品富有美感或具有装饰性的外观设计；还可授予实用专利，用以保护服装的功能性设计。那么，专利可以保护你的服装设计吗？

The short answer is yes, you can patent clothing using a design patent or utility patent. Patenting your clothing will allow you to restrict others from using, making, selling, and importing the patented clothing without your express permission.

回答是肯定的，你可以为服装申请外观设计或者实用专利。一旦你的服装取得专利，他人就不得在未经你明确许可的情况下使用、制造、销售和进口该专利服装。

You'll have the exclusive right to make and sell your clothing line, you will also be able to license the design or the invention of your clothing to third parties in exchange for a licensing fee. Also, if you wish, you can sell the patented design to another party.

你将拥有制造和销售该系列服装的独家权利。此外，你还可以授权第三方使用该服装设计或发明，以赚取授权费。另外，如果你愿意，可以将专利设计出售给另一方。

If the piece of clothing or apparel that you want to protect has a new, functional aspect, you can file a utility patent application. Utility patents protect functional items, including clothing that has a new and unique function.

如果你想保护的服装具有新功能，那么可以提出实用专利申请。实用专利保护功能性产品，包括具有全新独特功能的服装。

Now that we have covered how you can protect an article of clothing using either a utility patent or design patent, it’s important to understand the shortcomings associated with patent law protecting clothing.

前文已介绍如何利用实用或外观设计专利来保护服装，那么了解利用专利法保护服装有哪些不足就十分重要了。

It often takes the USPTO 20 months to approve or deny a design patent application and this is simply too slow in the fashion industry where trends tend to move fairly quickly. Often times, the design that’s sought to be patented is already out of fashion by the time the patent office issues the design patent. The USPTO does offer an expedited means of obtaining a design patent, but even then it takes 10 to 12 months to get a design patent approved.

美国专利及商标局通常需要20个月的时间来通过或拒绝一项外观设计专利申请，但是时尚界的更新换代非常迅速，这个审批速度实在太慢。大多数情况下，在专利局通过外观设计专利时，申请专利的设计已经过时。即使美国专利及商标局提供了获批外观设计专利的快捷方式，也需要至少10到12个月的时间。

In addition, although many makers of unique clothing designs will benefit from patenting their new designs, it is often cost-prohibitive for some people. 

此外，尽管许多拥有独特服装设计的制造商因其设计的专利保护而获益，但对一些人而言，申请专利的成本往往太过高昂。

If you're an individual designer, you should expect to pay between $1,740 to $3,980 for an attorney to prepare and file your design patent application. 

如果你是独立设计师，你要预备1740至3980美元聘请律师，为你准备并提交设计专利的申请。

1. aesthetics n.（审）美学

2. ornamental adj. 装饰的；点缀的

3. apparel n.（商店出售的）服装

4. expedite v. 加速

5. attorney n. 律师