Intellectual Property Law

Chapter 17 Case Study Answers

Case Study: Fit Forever has developed a fanciful design for a yoga mat showing where
individuals should place their hands and feet while doing yoga. It has also invented a new
type of exercise towel that is meant to allow rapid cooling down after one exercises. Fit
Forever demonstrated this towel at a fitness trade show on November 15, 2015.

Activities: Discuss whether the yoga mat and exercise towel are patentable and, if so,
what type of patent applications should be filed for each.

The yoga mat is patentable as a design patent (the features showing where
the hands and feet should be placed are ornamentation). It is possible that
the mat also qualifies as a utility patent (but without more information, it is
difficult to tell if the mat is novel and nonobvious). The cool-down towel
should be patentable as a utility patent; however, because Fit Forever
disclosed the invention on November 15, 2015, if it does not file a patent
application for the towel by November 15, 2016, it will be barred from filing
a patent application for it.