Patent Illustrations Demand Great Precision

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the agency that grants patents to inventors. A patent on an invention allows an inventor to sue imitators for monetary damages, which are then granted if a court finds that someone else’s product copied essential components from the patented design.

In order to be granted a patent, the inventor must submit a description and drawings of the design to the USPTO. The specifications for illustrations for a utility patent (the most common type of patent granted) are very precise. Following are the subheads of requirements for drawings with a brief description.

• Drawing Requirements—black and white drawings required in PDF format. Margins are specified.
• Numbering of Sheets—the placement of consecutive Arabic numerals
• Reference Characters—only those mentioned in the description should appear in the drawings in accordance with specified size
• Lead Lines and Arrows—must be clear and short
• Identification of Drawings—the information required and its placement
• Graphic Forms in Drawings—formulas, tables and waveforms that are submitted as drawings must follow the same specifications as drawings
• Views—as many views as necessary to give a complete view of the invention may be submitted, including exploded views, partial views, and sectional views
• Alternate position and Modified forms—usually require a separate view
• Arrangement of views and Front Page View—each view requires a separate sheet, and one must be used on the front page
• Scale and Character of Lines, Numbers and Letters—drawings must be large enough to show mechanisms when reduced by 1/3; figures must be legible when reduced by same
• Shading—is encouraged to show shapes
• Symbols, Legends and Copyright Marks—are allowed when placed as stipulated

Inventia Patent Drafting is experienced in the production of patent illustrations for utility and design patents. We use state-of-the-art software to create the drawings, which are then formatted to meet the specifications set by the USPTO. For help with your patent illustrations, contact us today.