906.10 Useful Articles and the Mechanical or Utilitarian Aspects of Works of Artistic Craftsmanship
The copyright law does not protect useful articles. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works). But it does protect two- or three-dimensional artistic features that have been incorporated into the design of a useful article, if those features are separable from the article. Id.
Copyright also protects the creative form of a work of artistic craftsmanship, but it does
not protect the “mechanical or utilitarian aspects” of such works.” Id.
For a definition and detailed discussion of the legal standards for evaluating copyrightable authorship in the design of a useful article or a work of artistic craftsmanship, see Sections 924 and 925.