After the patent expires, the public may freely use the technology described in the patent. The patent document includes this description. Note that the rights granted by the government do not guarantee that inventors will be able to make, use, or sell the invention. They can merely prevent others from doing so. A trademark is an identification of goods or services which may be a word, phrase, acronym, logo, or other symbol.
Manufacturers use trademarks to distinguish their products from others.
In the U.S., a trademark can be registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for 10 years and 3 months, and can be renewed every ten years. Do not confuse trademarks with trade names. Back to Frequently Asked Questions Utility, Design, and Plant patents. Utility patents cover new processes, machines, manufactured articles, and chemical compositions. Design patents cover new ornamental designs for manufactured articles.