Design patents are a relatively recent type of patent that protects non-utility inventions, such as the creative or decorative elements of manufactured items. Design patents usually apply to design elements of a thing that are non-functional, and thus not eligible for a utility patent, but that also wouldn’t necessarily be eligible for copyright or trademark …
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Most patent applications are for utility patents – inventions that have some functional use – and these applications usually have a specification, drawings, and claims. The specification is a legally complete description of the invention you are claiming. The specification needs to fully describe all aspects of the invention that you’re claiming protection for and …
Patents can generally be awarded for any novel and useful invention or improvement. “Useful” is a fairly minimal standard, and largely boils down to whether or not someone could read the patent and actually make the invention the patent discloses – it could be practically useless in real life, but so long as it’s possible …