unpatented
/"+/ (ame, mw)
unpatented — 形容詞
- unpatentedpositive
- more unpatentedcomparative
- most unpatentedsuperlative
1. describes an invention, design, or piece of technology that does not have a pate
未獲專利
未申請或取得專利保護的
describes an invention, design, or piece of technology that does not have a patent — the official legal right that prevents other people from copying or selling it without permission from the creator.
The company's unpatented cleaning formula was quickly copied by several rival brands.
這家公司的未獲專利清潔配方很快就遭到好幾個競爭品牌抄襲。
collocation: unpatented + product noun (formula, design, invention)
Beatriz chose to leave her medical invention unpatented so that clinics in poor countries could use it for free.
碧翠絲決定將她的醫療發明保持未獲專利狀態，以便貧窮國家的診所能免費使用。
pattern: leave something unpatented + purpose clause
Astrid warned the team that publishing unpatented research could prevent them from filing a patent later.
阿斯特麗德提醒團隊，發表未獲專利的研究成果可能會導致日後無法申請專利。
Unlike its rivals, the startup relied on unpatented technology that anyone could license at no cost.
這家新創公司不同於競爭對手，採用任何人皆可免費授權使用的未獲專利技術。
- unprotected
broader term — can refer to any lack of legal protection (copyright, trademark, or physical safety), not just patents
- unregistered
broader term — used for trademarks, designs, or any intellectual property not officially recorded
- patent-free
emphasises that no patent restrictions apply, often used in open-source or commons contexts
- patented
opposite — officially granted a patent
- proprietary
protected by intellectual property rights, not necessarily a patent but legally owned by a specific company
用法筆記
Common in business, technology, and legal contexts. Often contrasts with patented or patent-pending. A product can be deliberately left unpatented to keep the invention details secret (since patents require public disclosure).