Thursday, May 5, 2022

Oh, patents! Apple® Smart Keyboard Folio

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

The Apple® Smart Keyboard Folio design was granted the US Design patent USD906340S1 titled Cover. The Apple® Smart Keyboard Folio offers a lightweight accessory keyboard for on-the-go typing, on various Ipad models, and doubles as a front and back cover for the Ipad, when the user is not typing. 

Below, the patent Figure 1 drawing showing a front view of the design, together with an image of the marketed product. Note that the dashed and dot-dashed lines indicate all that is excluded from the claimed design. As a result, this design patent actually only covers the design of the smart keyboard, functioning as protection for the Ipad.



As a reminder: “a utility patent” protects the way an article is used and works (35 U.S.C. 101) , while a “design patent” protects the way an article looks (35 U.S.C. 171) [MPEP Chapt. 1502.01; [R-07.2015]].

References

Apple https://www.apple.com/

Apple Ipad Keyboards https://www.apple.com/ipad-keyboards/ 

USPTO - MPEP – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent.
https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html

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