Patents Issued the Week of June 12-16

6.20.23

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

U.S. Patent No. 11,672,635 entitled “Microstructure Soft Tissue Graft” issued June 13, 2023 to BVW Holding AG of Cham, China. Invented by Lukas Bluecher of Eurasberg, Germany and Michael Milbocker of Holliston, Massachusetts. Abstract: Soft tissue repair grafts are described comprising an anti-adhesion layer, a structural layer, and a localization layer. These layers may be distinct or integrated into one substrate. The term layer is used to distinguish tissue repair graft functionality rather than distinct material layers. The distinct layers of functionality may comprise a single plane of a substance.