Can someone else apply when the patent expires?

Legal analysis: No. The expiration of a patent means that the patent application has been authorized, but each patent has a protection period. Once the protection period expires, it will become public technology and there is no condition for re-application.

Legal basis: the design granted the patent right in Article 23 of the Patent Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) does not belong to the existing design; Before the filing date, no unit or individual has filed an application with the patent administration department of the State Council for the same design, and it is recorded in the patent documents published after the filing date.