A more thorough explanation:

Patent applied for

When someone invents something new, they can apply for a patent to protect their invention. While the Patent and Trademark Office is reviewing the application, the invention can be labeled as "patent applied for." This label lets people know that the inventor is trying to get a patent, but it doesn't actually protect the invention from being copied until the patent is granted. It's important to only use this label if a patent application has been filed, because it's against the law to falsely claim that a patent is being sought.

Example 1: John invents a new type of phone case that can charge your phone without needing a cord. He files a patent application and starts selling the phone case with a label that says "patent applied for." This lets people know that he's trying to get a patent for his invention, but it doesn't stop other companies from making similar phone cases until the patent is granted.

Example 2: Sarah creates a new type of exercise equipment that helps people stretch their muscles. She puts a label on the equipment that says "patent applied for" even though she hasn't actually filed a patent application. This is against the law and could result in a monetary penalty.

These examples illustrate how the label "patent applied for" can be used to let people know that an inventor is trying to protect their invention with a patent. It's important to only use this label if a patent application has actually been filed, because falsely claiming that a patent is being sought is against the law.