Zamillamserthzip -

: Established by the Supreme Court in Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands , a design feature is protectable if it:

: It prevents individuals from using copyright—which has a much longer duration—to gain a monopoly over functional items that should instead be protected by utility patents .

The "Useful Article Doctrine" determines whether artistic elements of a functional object can be protected by copyright. ZamillaMserthzip

For more detailed information, you can refer to the official U.S. Copyright Office guide on Useful Articles or the Legal Information Institute's definition .

Industrial Design: Reinterpreting the Useful Article Doctrine : Established by the Supreme Court in Star Athletica v

: Artistic features are only copyrightable if they can be identified separately from and exist independently of the article's functional aspects.

Would qualify as a protectable work on its own if fixed in another medium. For more detailed information, you can refer to

Can be perceived as a 2D or 3D work of art separate from the useful article.