Any patent application that does not clearly and accurately describe the invention is directly relevant to office action and rejection. Patent drawings are helpful for describing to the examiner the detailed features of an inventive product, process, or design. In many jurisdictions, drawings are frequently needed in utility and design patent applications.
Therefore applicants must follow all rules established by the appropriate IP office. The time, effort, and money invested in the patent application process might be severely affected by even a single calculation error or defect in these drawings.
A clear description of the role of patent drawings in a patent application. The following part goes into depth about their many variations, and viewpoints. And the significance of hatching and shading, the challenges faced by the laws of patent drawings, etc.
Effectiveness Of Patent Drawings:
Graphics, related to patent drawings, are used in patent applications to represent the inventions. Their implementations (processes or methods of carrying out the invention), or the prior art. They are written by hand or with the help of current instruments to better describe the invention to a neutral observer and examiner. A well-produced patent drawing also helps to clarify any doubts that may exist after reading the claim text on the uniqueness of the inventions.
In order to show the innovation graphically, a patent application in the US must include a minimum of one patent drawing, also known as a patent illustration. With the use of patent drawings, the inventor can display enlarged views that make it easier to describe how the different components work together. Such views make it simple for a patent attorney to understand and step-by-step explain the innovation. Drawings can be a lifesaver if the applicant skips an important aspect in the text description, provided they are sufficiently clear to show the invention’s details.
Additionally, submitting various, extremely well-done drawings is the best way to expand the scope of any application. To avoid even not receiving a filing date, which can be very disappointing, it is a good idea to include patent drawings in your application.
Understanding the fundamental rules for patent drawings is essential, in addition to becoming familiar with the explanations of such patent drawings in applications.
Patent drawing rules for new inventions and concepts:
Drawings are usually needed for the approval of a patent. Only when the invention relates to a chemical compound or when claiming a composition, technique, or procedure can an applicant skip patent illustrations. Nevertheless, drawings can in some way, shape, or form help in describing almost any procedure or process. As a result, it is important for applicants to offer examples even when claiming a method.
Also, while producing drawings for patent applications, applicants must follow specific rules that apply to all jurisdictions. The USPTO’s (United States Patent and Trademark Office) criteria for patent drawings are as follows:
- Patent drawings must be prepared on white, plain (as opposed to shiny) paper that is both strong and light. Additionally, only one side of the paper may be used for writing or sketching. The suggested paper size is A4 (21 cm by 29.7 cm) or Letter (21.6cm x 27.9cm).
- All of the application’s margins for the paper should be the same: 2.5 cm at the top, 2.5 cm to the left, 1.5 cm to the right, and 1.0 cm to the bottom.
- Colors should not be used in technical documents submitted to the patent office by the applicant. Only in cases where it is absolutely necessary to describe the new invention or Color is acceptable for a concept in depth. The applicant must send a second request to the USPTO in such unusual cases.
- A photographer is especially allowed when a picture is the only realistic way to explain the depth of an idea or sample. A tiny image of chemical compounds is one example. To improve the overall quality of the images, these must also be converted into grayscale using particular DPI settings because they cannot be used in their original forms.
- Patent drawings should accurately represent all possible aspects of novel inventions or concepts. It is also acceptable to use broken, partial, and ruined images of particular inventions. All drawings should be collected together and placed on the paper facing the same direction when using different points of view.
- Drawings should be vertical instead of horizontal. Both can be used, but, depending on the situation. It is necessary to scale the designs so that when they are reprinted at a size that is 2/3 of their original, they do not appear overloaded or crowded. Anything that is difficult for the examiner to understand at a smaller size may also be rejected for change. When displaying a new invention and its sample, shading, and hatching are recommendations if necessary.
- Both letters and digits are acceptable, though reference characters should usually be numbers.
Let’s talk about the various types of patent drawings in a patent application now that we are familiar with the USPTO’s core concepts for patent drawings for new ideas and concepts.
Obstacles in Patent Drawings or Illustrations
Below are some of the issues with patent drawings or illustrations:
- Inconsistency: The difference between the claims and drawings, which frequently result in rejection, is one of the main obstacles faced by innovators.
- Technical nature: Generally, patent drawings are highly technical. Since the drawing is necessary to justify the claim of creativity and non-obviousness, if it is not technically correct, the application as a whole gets rejection. When drafting, it’s important to remember that the quality of the illustrations matters more than the quality of the tools.
- Cost: Patent experts should be acquainted with the many jurisdictions and specifications, including the EPO, USPTO, CNIPA, and others. The cost for the inventors grows with access to tools like Visio (for creating flowcharts), AutoCAD, and ChemDraw (for chemical drawings). If the designs or patent applications got then rejection, it discourages them from overspending and applying for new ones.
- Data as drawings: For chemical and biological research, printouts of a lab report must be given as data to the patent office. According to the guidelines, it must be printed in black ink on A4-sized paper. The regulation causes a variety of issues because data needs to be color-coded, and the use of color needs to be carefully explained in order to avoid application rejection.
Modern technology can help in producing perfect drawings and remove many obstacles and difficulties that occur in patent drawings.
Understanding The Importance Of New & Replacement Sheets In Patent Drawings
When the defective figures are changed out for updated versions, a replacement sheet is used. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states that all replacement patent drawing sheets must follow Section 1.84 and contain all the figures that were present in the original version of the sheet. Replacement Sheet” must be written on the sheet that will be added to replace the previous one. The following is an overview of several basic issues that call for the addition of a replacement sheet:
- Utilizing colored images
- improper text height
- shading or feature accuracy issues in design drawings
When the designs get rejection due to a lack of transparency, a new page is added to an office action (OA) report instead of a replacement sheet. The examiner’s inability to understand the designs or problems with clarity that makes it challenging to understand the depth, height, or form of any part may be the cause. As a result, it is wise to either abandon the part or include a new sheet with the proper estimation.
In brief, applicants must keep updating a “New Sheet” whenever they add new information to the designs.
For the creation of excellent patent drawings, there are numerous reliable third-party service providers. To create perfect patent drawings for its clients throughout industries, Menteso IP has developed a special strategy. We will go through the benefits of using Menteso IP‘s service in the next part.
Why Choose Menteso IP for Utility and Patent Drawings?
- affordable prices
- endless options
- Various delivery formats
- Rapid delivery 24-hour inclusion of feedback
- Clients have a dedicated business manager.
- Call for available designers
Conclusion
Patent applications must always include patent drawings. As they clearly indicate the ideas’ uniqueness and exclusivity, flawless patent drawings enhance the possibility of the fast grant of the patent application to understand more about the different types of patent drawings,
obstacles, as well as recommendations to avoid delays and rejections. Self-drawing is a task that many organizations engage in. However, it is wise to use the services of a qualified outside party with expertise in the area.
Menteso IP set out on its mission to provide organizations within industries with reducing intellectual property solutions. Professionals in the IP community and other businesses now value its capabilities. It gives accurate graphics in accordance with the relevant PTO’s patent drawing guidelines through its patent drawings service. Our staff has ideas on how to create utility and design patent drawings that can effectively communicate your invention.
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