海洋能源——通过外观设计保护创新

在Innovation News Network（innovationnewsnet

work.com）最近发表的一篇文章*中，欧洲海洋能源（Ocean Energy Europe）的政策总监Donagh Cagney 表示： 

“比以往任何时候都更清楚的是，欧洲的未来取决于它向100%可再生能源系统的过渡。我们必须现在就采取行动，通过开发一系列创新的可再生能源来补充已经健全的风能和太阳能能源。这些创新之一就是海洋能源：海洋能源将是能源领域的下一个大事件”。

In a recent article* published by Innovation News Network, Donagh Cagney - Policy Director of Ocean Energy Europe (https://www.oceanener

gy-europe.eu/) - stated that:

“it is clearer than ever that Europe’s future depends on its transition to a 100% renewable energy system. We need to act now to reach that goal, by developing a range of innovative renewable energy sources to complement the already well-established wind and solar sectors. One of those innovations is ocean energy – the next big thing in energy.”

*https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/ocean-energy-makes-waves-renewable-energy-sector/24832/

为了鼓励创新，特别是在新兴领域鼓励创新，保护知识产权（IP）是至关重要的。知识产权保护确保企业将能够对其发明进行商业利用，并保护它们不被他人利用，使企业有信心投资大量资金进行研究和开发。知识产权保护也吸引了投资者和其他类型的资金。

To encourage innovation, particularly in emerging fields, protecting intellectual property (IP) is crucial. IP protection ensures that businesses will be able to commercially exploit their inventions and protect them from exploitation by others, giving them the confidence to invest substantial amounts of money in research and development. IP protection also attracts investors and other types of funding.

传统上，专利被视为最适合新技术的知识产权保护形式，因为它可以为新的或改进的设备及其实施方法提供全面的保护。但是，也有其他的知识产权保护形式可以与专利一起使用，其中一个例子是注册外观设计保护。

Patents are traditionally seen as the most suitable form of IP protection for new technologies, because they can provide comprehensive protection for a new or improved device, and its method of operation. But there are other forms of IP protection which can be used alongside patents, one example of which is registered design protection.

注册外观设计所保护的是产品的整体或部分外观，而不是其实施方法。在英国的外观设计申请中，最多可以提交产品不同角度下的12个视图，这些视图可以是彩色图像、照片、CAD视图、黑白线条图等。设计并不要求必须具有美感，但必须是新的和有独创性的。此外，那些仅仅是为了实现技术功能而选择的特征不被保护，而那些为了使产品与另一产品相适应或相连接所必需的特征也不被保护。

Registered designs protect the appearance of the whole or a part of a product, rather than its method of operation. In a UK design application, up to twelve views of the product from different angles can be filed, and these can be colour images, photographs, CAD views, black and white line drawings, etc. There is no requirement for the design to be aesthetically pleasing, but it must be new and have individual character. Additionally, it is not possible to protect features of a product that are chosen solely for performing a technical function, or necessarily for the product to fit or connect with another product.

尽管如此，在英国，知识产权局在审查过程中并不进行新颖性检索，但它会考虑外观设计是否违反了“技术功能”或“为了连接所必须使用”的限制（当然，任何第三方如果认为某外观设计不新颖或不具有独创性，也可以申请宣布其无效）。因此，如果没有形式上的问题，例如不同视图之间缺乏一致性的问题的话，在英国一项外观设计通常可以在几周内获得注册。如果需要的话，每五年支付一次续展费，可以最长使注册外观设计的有效期达25年。

Having said this, in the UK the Intellectual Property Office does not carry out a novelty search as part of the examination process, although it will consider whether the design falls foul of the “technical function” or “must fit” restrictions (and any third party can of course apply to invalidate a design registration if they believe it not to be new or not to have individual character). As a result, barring any formality issues – such as a lack of conformity between the different views – in the UK a design can often be registered within a few weeks. Payment of renewal fees every five years will keep the registration in force for up to 25 years, if needed.

在这方面，注册外观设计与专利相比有一些优势：注册外观设计提供快速和相对便宜的知识产权保护。在英国，一件申请中可以提出多项外观设计；每项外观设计可以附有简要说明，如有必要, 还可以附上书面声明，以声明只对外观设计的一部分要求保护。此外，英国和欧盟都提供12个月的宽限期，在这个宽限期内，即使你公开你的外观设计，你仍然可以获得有效的注册外观设计保护。而且，只要仔细规划，同一产品可以同时以不同的方式获得专利和注册外观设计的保护。

In this respect, registered designs have some advantages over patents: they offer intellectual property protection which is quick and relatively inexpensive to obtain; in the UK, multiple designs can be filed in a single application; each design can be accompanied by a short description and, if required, a written disclaimer which allows protection to be claimed for only a part of the design. Additionally, in both the UK and the EU, there is a 12-month grace period in which you can disclose your design and still obtain valid registered design protection. And with some careful planning, the same product can be protected – in different ways – by both a patent and a registered design.

海洋能源领域的许多创新者，如Minesto (https://minesto.com/)、Orbital Marine Power (https://orbitalmarine.com/)、Havcraft (https://

havkraft.no/) 和Mocean (https://www.mocean.

energy/)，已经拥有保护其设备的专利组合。事实上，在过去的二十年里，海洋能源技术的发明活动已经产生了24000项专利申请*。

*https://www.marks-clerk.com/insights/articles/ocean-energy-technologies-on-the-rise-in-2022/

一些公司也在利用注册外观设计保护来保护他们的波浪能或潮汐能发电机，如以下例子所示。

Some companies are also taking advantage of registered design protection to protect their wave or tidal energy generators, as shown in the following examples:

总部设在挪威的Havkraft公司为其Powerbarge Catamaran波浪能发电装置*1进行了英国外观设计注册，如以下透视图所示。该装置以黑白线条图示出，因此保护范围不限于任何特定的颜色或材料。

Norway-based Havkraft has a GB design registration for its Powerbarge Catamaran wave power plant*1, as shown in this perspective view. Here, the device is shown in a black and white line drawing, so that the protection is not limited to any specific colour or material.

*1 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/#/dsview/detail/GB

702018006033093-0001

韩国公司Ingine, Inc.（https://ingine.co.kr/en/）为其波浪能发电装置的浮体进行了英国外观设计注册*2（如下图所示）。同样，也使用了线图，而且在这个视图中该装置的部件处于分离状态。

Korean company Ingine, Inc. (https://ingine.co.kr/

en/)has a GB registration *2 for a buoyant object for a wave power generator. Again, line drawings have been used, and this view illustrates the components of the device in a separated state.

*2 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome#/dsview/

detail/GB700008093665000-1000

法国公司 Guinard Energies Nouvelles（https://

www.guinard-energies.bzh/en/guinard-energies-2/）为其潮汐涡轮机*3申请了英国外观设计注册。同样，这种简单的线图提供了尽可能大的保护范围，避免了颜色、纹理和不重要的技术细节。

French company Guinard Energies Nouvelles (https://www.guinard-energies.bzh/en/guinard-energies-2/) has protected its tidal turbine*3 with a GB design registration. Again, this simple line drawing provides the broadest possible scope of protection, avoiding colour, texture and unimportant technical detail.

*3 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome#/dsview/

detail/GB700009004374700-0001

总部设在苏格兰阿伯丁的EC-OG控股有限公司（现Verlume公司, https://verlume.world/ec-og-reinforces-leading-position-in-energy-transition-with-name-change-to-verlume/news/）为其洋流能和潮汐能转换装置*4进行了英国外观设计注册。在这个外观设计注册中，该装置以彩色显示，这将构成注册外观设计的部分保护范围。

Aberdeen-based EC-OG Holdings Ltd (now Verlume, https://verlume.world/ec-og-reinforces-leading-position-in-energy-transition-with-name-change-to-verlume/news/) has a GB design registration for a Marine Current & Tidal Energy Conversion Device*4.  In this case, the device is shown in colour, which will form part of the scope of protection of the registered design.

*4 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome#/dsview/

detail/GB702016004045363-0001

当然，与专利类似，注册外观设计具有地域性，可以在世界大多数国家获得，例如在美国注册外观设计被称为外观设计专利。但是，其它国家的注册外观设计的审查过程和形式上的要求，可能与英国和欧洲有很大不同。

Of course, registered designs, like patents, are jurisdictional and can be obtained in most countries in the world, including in the US where they are known as design patents. However, examination and formality requirements may be very different to the UK and Europe.

这项涉及波浪能转换器的转子的美国外观设计专利*5 是由德克萨斯大学注册的。美国外观设计申请的视图通常包括阴影，如下图所示。此外，与英国和欧盟的外观设计不同，美国对外观设计申请进行新颖性和非显而易见性的审查，因此可能需要更长的时间才能获得。

This US design patent for a rotor for a wave energy converter*5 was registered by the University of Texas. The views submitted in US design applications typically include shading, as illustrated in the view on the right. Additionally, unlike GB and EU designs, US design applications are examined for novelty and non-obviousness, so may take longer to obtain.

*5 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome#/dsview/

detail/US70000000D821318-0001

这个横向的海洋能发电装置*6在中国受到注册外观设计的保护，由杭州林黄丁新能源研究院有限公司申请。在中国，外观设计没有一般性的宽限期，因此应当注意确保中国的外观设计申请提交之前，不要在其他国家进行公开。

This horizontal ocean energy power generation device*6 is protected by a registered design in China, filed by Hangzhou Linhuangding New Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. In China, there is no general grace period for designs and so care is required to ensure that disclosure in another country does not occur before the Chinese design application is filed.

*6 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome#/dsview/

detail/CN702013030057655-0001

印度马德拉斯理工学院（IIT Madras, https://www.iitm.ac.in/）在印度为漂浮式机械波浪能转换器进行了外观设计注册*7。印度不允许多项外观设计申请，因此一件申请必须只与单个设计有关。

The Indian Institute Of Technology Madras (IIT Madras, https://www.iitm.ac.in/) has a design registration *7 in India for a floating mechanical wave energy converter. Multiple design applications are not permitted in India, so the application must relate to a single design only.

*7 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome#/dsview/

detail/IN700000000326437-0001

韩国公司Ingine, Inc.为波浪能发电装置的浮体还进行了国际外观设计注册*8。国际（海牙）外观设计*9可能有助于通过一件国际申请同时在多个国家获得外观设计保护。

Korean company Ingine, Inc. also has an international design registration*8 for a buoyant object for a wave power generator. International (Hague) designs*9 may be useful in securing design protection simultaneously in multiple countries through one international application.

*8 https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome#/dsview/

detail/WO70000000D093664-0001

*9 https://www.wipo.int/hague/en/how_hague_works.html

以上注册外观设计保护的例子说明了世界各地“蓝色能源”装置的设计的广泛多样性。随着创新者继续开发和测试能够从不同海洋环境中提取清洁和可靠的能源的技术，看到各公司利用各种形式的包括专利和注册外观设计在内的知识产权来保护这些技术，是令人鼓舞的。

The examples of registered design protection shown above illustrate the wide variety in the design of “blue energy” devices around the world. As innovators continue to develop and test technology capable of extracting clean and reliable energy from different ocean environments, it is encouraging to see companies making use of all forms of available intellectual property protection, including patents and registered designs.

麦仕奇设有专门的能源和环境行业团队(https://www.marks-clerk.com/expertise/energy-environment/)，该团队的专家可以帮助可再生能源机构利用知识产权来实现其商业目标。

Marks & Clerk have a dedicated Energy & Environment (https://www.marks-clerk.com/expertise/energy-environment/) sector group, with experts who can help organisations in renewable energy use their intellectual property to achieve their commercial ambitions.