ON THIS DAY, July 21st, back in 1981, the design patent for the redesigned phaser for Star Trek: The Motion Picture was issued. A design patent in the United States is granted based on the unique appearance or concept of an item. They are typically sought for items whose appearance is at least as important as the underlying craftsmanship itself.

This particular patent, applied for in April 1979, and listing the designer as Richard M. Rubin, was designated as a “toy weapon.” Rubin, as you may have deduced, was the property master on the film. The control panel shown on the patent is a different configuration from any extant photos of the on-screen TMP phasers, though, indicating that it was probably an early design. The design also includes a belt clip for the fashion-forward Starfleet officer who liked to show off their accessory at the waist.

You can see the screen-used phaser prop as well as a wealth of other photos of and articles about Star Trek props at RACprops.com.