Can a complete set of design apply for multiple design patents?

In principle, the submission of an application for a patent for design is a design and an application. Paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the newly revised Patent Law stipulates two situations in which a joint application can be made (that is, as one application, the fee is charged according to one application):

1. Two or more similar designs of the same product;

2. Complete sets of products.

(1) Similar designs must be aimed at the same product. Generally speaking, after overall observation, if other designs have the same or similar design features as the basic design, the differences between them are usually local subtle changes, the usual design of such products, the repeated arrangement of design units or only the changes of color elements. They are considered to be similar designs.

(2) A complete set of products refers to the products that are composed of two or more independent products belonging to the same category, each product has the same design concept, each product has independent use value, and each product can reflect its combined use value when combined together, such as coffee cups, coffee pots, milk pots, sugar cans, etc.

It should be pointed out that a patent application involving a whole set of products can no longer contain more than two similar designs of a certain set or all products.