Outdoor lawn games have entertained people of all ages for many years. From classics to newer inventions, these games bring people together in the great outdoors for friendly competition and enjoyment.
But have you ever thought if these fun outdoor group activities can be patented?
A patent is a legal document that gives the inventor exclusive rights to their invention, preventing others from making, using, or selling it without permission.
Patents are typically associated with complex technologies and innovative gadgets but can also apply to outdoor games.
Let’s learn more about the patentability of outdoor lawn games.
Can Outdoor Lawn Games Be Patented?
You can indeed patent outdoor lawn games, but there are some conditions you must meet. Patents work the same as shields that protect new and creative things.
So, for your lawn game to get a patent, it needs to be new and not something people already know about. Also, it shouldn’t be something that an expert in this area could easily make. That’s where your game creativity comes into play.
To patent your game, you have to explain it well in your application. You need to describe its rules, parts, and special design parts that make it different.
The patent process can be tricky because it involves legal and technical stuff. So, getting help from a patent lawyer or expert is a good idea.
Understanding Design Patents vs Utility Patents
1. Design Patents
Design patents focus on safeguarding a product’s appearance rather than how it works. Let’s say you’ve made a super cool-looking cornhole board with fancy artwork, and you can get a design patent to keep that awesome design safe. So, if your outdoor lawn game has a unique and attractive appearance, it might be eligible for this protection.
2. Utility Patents
Utility patents deal with how things work. If your new outdoor lawn game is different from others in how it’s played, how it’s made, or the rules it follows. You could be eligible for a utility patent. For instance, if you’ve come up with a fresh way to keep score in a well-known lawn game, a utility patent can protect this inventive part.
Types of Lawn Games
1. The Pocket Shot
The Pocket Shot is a cool version of the traditional slingshot made for outdoor play. It has a round pouch to hold and shoot small foam balls or marbles. What’s special about it is its small, circular shape, which lets you shoot fast and strong. Now, the big question is whether we can patent The Pocket Shot.
To get a patent, your invention has to be both new and not obvious to people who know about this game. With The Pocket Shot, its unique shape and how it shoots things might just meet the requirements for a patent.
2. GoSports Giant Portable Four-in-a-Row Game
The GoSports Giant Four-in-a-Row Game is a super-sized Connect Four game you can play outside. It shows how creative people can be when designing outdoor games. The question here is if this game can get a patent.
This question is because of its big size and its ease of moving around. While the basic idea of Connect Four isn’t new, turning it into a giant game that’s easy to carry around is a cool twist. Whether it can be patented depends on whether these changes are creative enough.
3. Baseball Board Game
For quite some time, people have been enjoying baseball board games, which let fans experience the thrill of baseball on a table. This board game can be patented depending on whether it brings in new and original ways to play, the parts it uses, or how it keeps score.
This baseball board game does something different, like showing player stats brand-newly. Adding unique strategies that other baseball board games don’t have. In that case, these unique features could qualify for a patent.
Conclusion
All in all, you can patent your outdoor lawn game depending on a few factors. Patents are given to new and useful inventions that aren’t obvious to experts in the field. Lawn games with new and creative ideas can be patented. Meanwhile, familiar traditional games usually can’t get patented because they’re widely known.
To figure out if your outdoor lawn game can get a patent. It’s important to talk to a patent expert. They can help you see if your game is unique and help you through the patent application process. Get professional advice if you think your game qualifies for a patent.
A patent can protect your game from being copied for about 20 years, letting you make money from your invention.
