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UTILITY MODELS
A utility model is a form of industrial property that protects inventions that give an object a special configuration or structure that results in a practical advantage in its use or manufacture.
In particular, objects such as apparatus, devices, instruments, tools, or utensils, or parts of these, that meet the above specifications may be protected as utility models.
In general, the rules for patents apply, but they differ in that the novelty required refers only to Spain and a lesser degree of inventive step is required, since it is enough that the invention did not arise from the state of the art in a way that is obvious to a person skilled in the art.
Protection for a utility model is granted for a non-extendable period of 10 years from the application date and is subject to payment of the annual fees.