Any patent application that fails to explain the invention in a clear and concise manner is prone to office action, and rejection. Patent drawings serve useful while explaining the intricate details of an innovative product, process, or design to the examiner. With many jurisdictions making drawings mandatory in utility and design patent applications, applicants must adhere to all the requirements of the concerned IP office. Even a single miscalculation or flaw in these drawings can cost dearly on time, effort, and money spent on the patent application process.
The following article is a comprehensive discussion on the role of patent drawings in a patent application, their different types, views, the relevance of hatching and shading, the hurdles involved, the rules of patent drawings, etc.
Relevance of Patent Drawings
Patent applications contain graphics, also known as patent drawings, illustrating the inventions, their embodiments (process or methods of carrying out invention), or the prior art. They are drafted manually or using modern tools to explain the invention better for an ordinary observer and examiner. A neatly drawn patent drawing also assists in eliminating ambiguity about the novelty of the inventions that may not be clear after reading claim text. Read more