Everything you need to know about a perfect patent drawing

What are patent drawings?

A series of images illustrating the accurately specified details of an invention presented during the patent application process is known as a patent drawing. When an illustration is required to fully understand the invention, the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) mandates that every patent application be submitted with at least one patent drawing of the proposed invention. Although patient designs have evolved over time, the USPTO maintains stringent drawing guidelines that inventors must adhere to. Patent illustrations printed and published in a uniform style on flexible white paper are included in the official record.

Importance of Patent Drawing

When preparing your claim, it’s a good idea to engage in professional patent illustration services because a patent drawing aids in the comprehension of an invention. Because an invention must be detailed in as much depth and specificity as possible, a patent illustration is essential. This method will assist you in distinguishing your idea from previous ones. 

A design is defined by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as “the visual aesthetic features incorporated in, or applied to, a product of manufacture.” A patent drawing is, in a nutshell, a graphic depiction and explanation of your invention. A patent candidate will almost always be asked to submit a patent design of their invention, particularly if it is capable of being depicted, and doing so would aid in a greater grasp of your innovation.

To understand the full worth of a high-quality patent drawing, consider the whole context of the patenting procedure, which is both costly and complicated. There are two primary goals. To begin, you must distinguish the innovation you are attempting to patent from other pre-existing, well-known inventions, referred to as prior art. From this standpoint, your invention must be new and non-obvious. The next goal is to ensure that you meet all of the patent office’s standards, including detailing in sufficient detail how a person of conventional skill in that technological field may create and use your invention.

Requirements of Patent Drawings

When creating your drawings, always try to follow the rules described in the Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, such as:

● Draw in black and white unless a color is the only way to show a part of the invention.

● On all drawings, use India ink.

● When the illustration is reduced to two-thirds of its original size, make sure the drawing is to scale.

● Above each illustration, including identification such as the name of the innovation, the identity of the inventor, and the application number.

● All drawings should be printed on 11-inch by 8.5-inch white paper or A4 paper. This paper must be quasi, flexible, crease-free, long-lasting, and white.

● Erasures, changes, overwriting, and interlineations must all be removed.

● Make the top and left borders at least 1 inch, the right margin at 3/8 inch, and the base margin at 5/8 inch.

● On two catercorner border corners, place scan target points (cross-hairs).

● Never place one drawing on top of another.

● If required, use symbols and a legend to describe the invention.

● Solid black shading should only be used on bar graphs or to indicate color.

● Use lead lines to bring the reader from the drawing to the description’s accompanying symbol.

Your petition is incomplete if you do not submit patent drawings or do not follow the patent drawing rules. The filing date will be postponed since it is unfinished. This could cost you a patent, especially if other companies are attempting to patent the same innovation. Photographs and color illustrations have their own set of regulations to follow, so be sure to adhere to these as well.

The patent officer will be able to judge whether the innovation is non-obvious and innovative if you follow the patent drawing rules. 

Filing with high-quality patent illustrations also aids in establishing the priority of innovation by allowing for an earlier filing date, which is critical in a first-to-file jurisdiction such as the United States.

Why should you prefer a patent drawing professional?

If you’re drafting an interim patent application, do-it-yourself drawings may be acceptable. If time allows, I would prefer professional patent drawings in a nonprovisional patent application. In contrast to patent attorneys’ costs, illustrator fees are comparatively inexpensive. The time and price of needing to alter the drawings later during prosecution may outweigh any possible cost savings in DIY drawings in a nonprovisional application. To minimize delays and additional costs down the road, we recommend having a nonprovisional application done properly ahead of time.

Patent Drawings generated by an official professional are flawless, with no errors, and the most significant component is that the said professional is familiar with the day-to-day operations of the said Patent Drawing execution. They are familiar with the patent law department’s operating, working, and general aggregation so that in the event of a snag, they can get the following Patent Drawing back on track, either willingly or unwillingly. As a result, a professional’s extensive network and experience will always outweigh a layperson’s limited understanding while attempting to prepare a Patent Drawing.