外觀設計專利權的擴張與限縮－－以外觀設計專利權與其他知識產權的邊界為視角

The Expansion and Limitation of Design Patents

由於知識產權客體的非物質性，外觀設計專利權易與其他知識產權發生競合與衝突，尤其是與實用藝術作品的著作權、商業外觀的商標權和基於《反不正當競爭法》保護的合法權益等。伴隨著我國司法實踐的進展，上述權利競合與衝突的問題日益嚴重。同時，外觀設計專利權與其他相關知識產權之間亦存在一定差別，需要在權利客體方面有所區分。借鑒美國、英國、德國和法國的法律經驗，只有法國給予完全重疊的保護，其他國家均在外觀設計專利權的權利客體方面與其他知識產權加以區分。我國應當進一步明晰外觀設計專利權與其他知識產權之間的邊界，將純屬著作權保護的作品排除在外觀設計保護客體之外，例如服裝設計、書籍封面設計、動畫形象設計、建筑設計、小擺設；將純屬商標權保護的標識排除在外觀設計保護客體範圍之外，例如在實用功能或形狀結構上沒有新創造的商品包裝盒（包裝袋、包裝瓶）、店面裝飾裝潢；對實用功能或形狀結構有新創造的設計，可選擇獲得外觀設計專利權或者其他知識產權保護，否則不能獲得外觀設計專利權保護。

The object of intellectual property is intangible, there are some conflicts between design patents and copyright of works of applied art, right of trade dress. The conflicts are distinctly serious with the process of judicial practice. The design patents should be distinguished with other types of intellectual property. Studying legal experience in the United States, Britain, Germany and France, the design could be protected by two types of intellectual property only in France and the objects of different intellectual property are distinguished in other countries. The boundary between the design patent and other intellectual properties should be cleared. The works such as costume designs, book cover designs, cartoon image designs, architectural designs and bibelot designs should be excluded from the objects of design patent protection. The commercial marks such as commodity packages which have no change in function and structure and store decoration designs should be excluded from the objects of design patent protection. The designs which have changes in function and structure could be granted as design patents or other kinds of intellectual property.