All You Need to Know About Design Patent Drawings

Design Patent Drawings:

Design patent drawings are the illustrations or drawings of a manufactured object’s design. They’re used in design patent applications and must include complete information about any contours, shape, material texture, properties, and proportions. These drawings must clearly show every feature visible during use and no part of the object’s design should be left to the imagination. Drawings should include shading that indicates surface characteristics and these shaded areas can depict transparent, solid, and open areas. These drawings are the defining component of a design patent application that plays a far more pivotal role in describing the product as compared to the words of the description. 

Include Every Possible View in design patent drawings

When creating design patent drawings, the innovator must include all views of the object’s design. If you’re in doubt about whether to include it, err on the side of too much then provide images of the front, top, bottom, back, left, and right.

Imprint the left and right sides if they are mirror images. Simply labeling each will help your patent application analyst get a better understanding of the exact patent design.

If your innovation item is flat and thin, only front and rear views are important. Make sure to precisely explain the reasoning for including fewer images of the design.

The exception to including each view is any plain, unornamented view of the innovation item. The plain section won’t contribute to your design patent, so no need to send images of these portions in with your patent application.

Consider Perspective Views in drawings

A 2D drawing won’t display the three dimensions of the innovation. It’s useful to provide perspective views of the innovation’s design to display the dimensions of the object.

You may also want to incorporate unique views. Sectional views help bring out specific components. They can also precisely display functional features that make the object design unique.

Exploded views are helpful if the design incorporates separate components. On the off chance that the item has components that come apart in typical use, submit pictures of each part. Make a point to give a bracket that joins the exploded part to where it fits in the full design. You ought to give all perspective views in addition to the imperative front, top, bottom, back, left, and right views.

Meaning of Dots and Lines in design patent drawings

All design patent drawings must be prepared in a certain style. The technical design includes dots and lines. You can apply to shade as if a light is shining from the upper left of the picture. There are two acceptable types of shading in design drawings:

• Linear shading: This includes parallel lines. You can include broken or continuous lines. The lines assist to depict shiny or transparent surfaces, such as polished metal, glass, or reflective stone.
• Stippled Shading: It includes small dots. This shading helps to represent contour and shadowing. It is also useful for rough textures.

Surface shading also assists the reviewer to see whether the design infringes on an existing patent. Even on a 2D drawing, shading aids showcase the contours and make the image look more realistic.

Why Design Patent Drawings Are Important?

Design patent drawings are greatly significant in the application process. The design patent application includes few words and far more images or pictures. The pictures bring your design to life and give the application reviewer a sense of what you are asking to patent. Without precise and concise pictures, you won’t get a design patent.

You must include all required views to meet the application requirements of the United States Patent and Trademark Office that include views from the top and bottom, front and rear, and right and left sides. If you eliminate any view then include specific details as to why it is not included. The left and right sides might be identical representations of each other. It’s OK to provide one view, in these cases. But for this, make sure to explain that the opposite side is a mirror image.

Reasons to Consider Utilizing Design Patent Drawings

Design patent drawings are needed as part of your application for a design patent. Without the required drawings, your design patent application will be returned without review.

Deadline for filing an application

You must submit all necessary design patent drawings with your application to the USPTO. The time limit for filing a patent design application is within 12 months of public introduction. The 12-month period applies after you’ve displayed your object of manufacture with a unique and ornamental design in any public forum. 

What Could Happen If You Don’t Use Design Patent Drawings in the application?

If you don’t present any design patent drawings, your patent application will not go through. By submitting a patent application without drawings is a waste of time and money for everybody involved.

Some innovators incorporate design patent drawings but don’t follow the necessary format. By doing so will bring a delay because the patent analyst will have to demand accurate pictures. It could likewise bring about a denial of your patent application.

At the point when you’re setting up a design patent application, you can either create the design patent drawings yourself or recruit an expert draftsperson. By making them yourself will save money but needs you to fully comprehend the strict prerequisites. Review the USPTO application guide to ensure you know which views are necessary, how to use shading, dots, and lines to reflect various angles and aspects, how to label the drawings and many more.

Creating patent drawings by yourself also comes with benefits, such as:

• More precise rendering of your design, since you comprehend the concept more completely
• Self-satisfaction for completing the whole patent application process yourself
• The capability to make additional drawings for collateral and other promotional products
• Not having to go back and forth for changes with an outside person who doesn’t understand your design

Common Mistakes

• Failing to incorporate the right views: USPTO requires six specific views. If you don’t incorporate those six views, you must simply state why in the description. Additional views, including 3-D, segmented, exploded, or sectional, is helpful but not required.
• Incorporating photos instead of drawings: It might seem more logical to take an image of the prototype, but USPTO has strict specifications and only allows images in certain cases. Review those to see whether your design applies.
• Not incorporating shading: The two main types of shading help your design come alive. Without it, the design is just a 2D image that isn’t precise to your patent analyst. Make sure to utilize the two acceptable styles of shading to depict your design.

Conclusion

With precise and accurate design patent drawings, you can acquire a design patent on your unique ornamental design. You should adhere to the strict rules or guidelines set by USPTO to avoid problems with your patent application. Design patents are becoming more widely accepted. Major manufacturers use design patents daily to protect their unique designs.