Successful Patent Drawings for Design Patents
admin2020-02-20T20:47:26+00:00While patent drawings are essential for almost any successful patent application, they are even more important for design patent applications than for utility patents. Since design patents are for ornamentation and appearance, the drawing IS the disclosure. When considering what goes into drawings for design patents, it’s good to keep in mind the US patent office’s (USPTO) definition of a design: A design consists of the visual ornamental characteristics embodied in, or applied to, an article...
Improving Patent Applications with Patent Drawings
admin2020-01-31T23:24:35+00:00By law, patent applications need to include at least one drawing if the patented object or process is capable of being rendered in an illustration. However, it’s always worthwhile to try and include a drawing if at all possible, even if for a particular patent application it’s not strictly required. For example, if you’re claiming a method or process a drawing might not be technically required, but some kind of illustration – a flowchart...
Patent Drawings as Works of Art
admin2020-01-29T21:45:05+00:00Nowadays, no one but an inventor would hang a patent drawing on a wall. But once upon a time, patent drawings often went way beyond the merely functional – some of them were museum-quality works of art. Take a look at this drawing from a patent for a fire ladder in 1837. It includes many extraneous details you’d never see in a patent drawing today: a tree in the background, flames and smoke coming out...
Why are patent drawings different from other illustrations?
admin2020-01-01T16:21:19+00:00Patent drawings aren’t just like other kinds of drawings. Patent illustrations aren’t intended to just show what an invention looks like. For utility patents, they need to be specific and detailed enough that someone “skilled in the art” can actually build the item described or use the method disclosed by the patent. For example, if you’ve invented a new kind of bicycle, it’s not enough to submit a pretty picture of what it looks like –...
Christmas Presents for Young Inventors
admin2020-01-31T20:59:30+00:00There’s no age requirement for getting a patent, and the youngest person to be granted a patent (so far) was a four-year-old Houston girl who invented an aid for grasping round knobs. A little-known holiday called “Kid Inventor’s Day” is celebrated on January 17 – Benjamin Franklin’s birthday. Franklin, a renowned inventor of things like bifocals and the Franklin stove – got his start at age 12, when he invented swim flippers. Inventing isn’t just fun...
Expanding Patent Disclosures with Patent Drawings
admin2019-12-01T19:46:35+00:00Under US patent law, if an invention can be showing with a patent drawing or illustration, then at least one is required. According to the Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, drawings shall be required when they are necessary for the understanding of the invention. (2) Where, without being necessary for the understanding of the invention, the nature of the invention admits of illustration by drawings: (i) the applicant may include such drawings in the international application when filed. (ii)...
The Importance of Patent Drawings in Reissue Cases
admin2019-12-01T19:26:46+00:00A recent case from the Federal Circuit illustrates the importance of comprehensive patent drawings when seeking the reissue of a patent. Under 35 U.S.C. 251, a patent can be reissued if the original patent is defective: Whenever any patent is, through error, deemed wholly or partly inoperative or invalid, by reason of a defective specification or drawing, or by reason of the patentee claiming more or less than he had a right to claim in the...
How Detailed Do Patent Drawings Need to Be?
admin2019-11-27T21:57:45+00:00Inventors sometimes wonder, “How detailed and professional do the drawings in my patent application need to be?” The answer is, “VERY detailed and VERY professional – if you want to maximize the likelihood that your patent application will be granted.”
How to Find a Patent Drawing Service That Meets Your Needs
admin2019-07-29T23:38:51+00:00What criteria do you use to select a patent illustrator?
How Much Does a Patent Drawing Cost?
admin2019-07-23T01:03:58+00:00There are many different factors that go into the cost of a patent drawing.
The Patents That Limited Women’s Voting
admin2019-07-03T03:46:17+00:00Nowadays we take women's equal voting rights for granted. Once upon a time, the US Patent Office granted patents for machines designed to facilitate limiting women's rights.
Patent Drawings and Patent Litigation
admin2019-06-20T19:07:14+00:00Contrary to what a lot of laypeople think, a patent doesn’t grant you the right to make something. A patent grants you the right to sue someone who’s making your invention without your permission. Therefore, a patent is only as valuable as your willingness to litigate to protect your patent rights. Unfortunately, there are way too many companies out there stealing other companies’ intellectual property, figuring the patent owner either won’t notice, or won’t be willing...
Fixing Rejected Patent Drawings
admin2019-06-07T19:39:05+00:00What do you do if a drawing you submitted with a patent application has been rejected by the patent office? First of all, if your initial patent application is rejected (for drawings or other issues), don’t panic! Most patents go through an iterative process with the patent office before the examiner allows the claims. It’s a common part of the process. Procedures and causes for patent drawing rejection will vary from one patent office to another....
Comparing Patent Drawing Requirements in the US and Europe
admin2019-05-24T20:35:59+00:00Many inventors first apply for a patent in the US, and then seek the same patent protection in Europe. Both the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO) affirm the importance of drawings to patent applications. The USPTO says drawings are required if they are needed to understand the subject matter; they are almost always needed. The EPO emphasizes quality: “Good-quality drawings are very important for the correct disclosure of...
Working with a Patent Illustrator
admin2019-05-20T21:23:18+00:00Patent drawings are an essential component of almost every patent application. Inventors may choose to work directly with patent illustrators, or they may have their patent attorney take care of getting the official patent drawings for them. Whether you’re an inventor or an attorney, there are a few things you can do that will make the job of the patent illustrator easier, which will help ensure that you receive the best and most accurate possible...
Complying with Patent Drawing Rules
admin2019-05-21T15:57:07+00:00Drawings are essential to almost every patent application. It’s rare to see a patent application that doesn’t contain some kind of drawing, even if it’s just a flow chart. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) informs us: “A patent application is required to contain drawings if drawings are necessary to understand the subject matter to be patented.” The European Patent Office (EPO) emphasizes drawing quality: “Good-quality drawings are very important for the correct disclosure...
SketchUp for Patent Drawings
admin2019-05-20T21:05:41+00:00Introduction There are many different software applications that can be used for creating patent drawings. One popular tool is SketchUp (formerly Google SketchUp). SketchUp is focused on 3D modeling. If all you need are 2D drawings or flow charts, you may be better served with a different software option. It’s used by a wide range of professionals including architects, interior designers and engineers (both mechanical and civil), as well as in the film and video game...
Why Drawings Can Make or Break Your Patent Application
admin2019-06-20T19:01:19+00:00Patent drawings are an essential aspect of filing successful patent applications. These drawings act as a visual accompaniment to your written documentation, conveying information about your invention. When produced correctly, patent drawings increase the probability of your application being approved, as they supply more information than you can usually provide in a written application. However, if you’re not careful, patent drawings can prove to be a stumbling block for your application. Detailed Drawings Can Save...
Ten Patent Drawing/illustration Software Packages
admin2019-11-30T11:05:59+00:00When submitting an application for a patent, the drawings will be an essential and integral part of the application. You can do the drawings yourself using drawing software or you can hire a professional draftsperson to do it for you. Here are 10 software programmes that can be used to draft patent drawings.