As for the nature of a patent, it is to exchange publicity for rights. The rights are valid within the validity period and can restrict others from imitating and counterfeiting.
When a patent expires, it enters the public domain and can be used by anyone. If the bladeless fan technology only has a patent right, other manufacturers can produce it after it expires. Of course, if there is still copyright, let’s talk about it separately.
Quote the relevant provisions of the Patent Law for your reference:
Article 2 The inventions and creations mentioned in this Law refer to inventions, utility models and designs.
Invention refers to a new technical solution proposed for a product, method or improvement thereof.
Utility model refers to a new technical solution proposed for the shape, structure or combination of a product that is suitable for practical use.
Appearance design refers to a new design that is aesthetically pleasing and suitable for industrial applications based on the shape, pattern, or combination of the product, as well as the combination of color, shape, and pattern.
Article 22 Inventions and utility models for which patent rights are granted shall possess novelty, creativity and practicality.
Novelty means that the invention or utility model does not belong to the existing technology; no unit or individual has applied for the same invention or utility model to the patent administration department of the State Council before the application date, and It shall be recorded in patent application documents or published patent documents published after the filing date.
Creativity means that compared with the existing technology, the invention has outstanding substantive features and significant progress, and the utility model has substantive features and progress.
Practiceability means that the invention or utility model can be manufactured or used and can produce positive effects.
The term “existing technology” as used in this Law refers to the technology that was known to the public at home and abroad before the filing date.
Article 23
The design for which a patent right is granted shall not belong to an existing design; nor shall any unit or individual submit an application to the State Council for the same design before the date of application. The patent administrative department has filed an application and it has been recorded in the patent documents published after the application date.
The design for which patent rights are granted should be significantly different from existing designs or combinations of existing design features.
The design for which patent rights are granted shall not conflict with the legal rights that others have acquired before the filing date.
The term “existing designs” as mentioned in this Law refers to designs that are known to the public at home and abroad before the date of application.