Why Patent Attorneys Recommend Applicants to Use Patent Drawing Services

Drafting a patent is a very challenging process, especially if you’re a first-time applicant. There are some precise rules recommended by the United States Patent and Trademark Office that need to be strictly followed to receive patent grants. Applicants with no prior experience with these USPTO requirements are advised to take the assistance of professional patent drafting experts before it’s time to file the patents.

Drafting a Patent Application – A Brief Look at the Requirements 

The main statute (United States Code) overseeing the patent application process is – 35 U.S.C. 111. According to this statute, patent applications are written applications created by the inventors or their attorneys. They need to be submitted to the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office. Some basic details that all patents need to feature include –

• Invention Specifications: Include all the details about the invention.
• Claim:Describe why your invention is new using detailed statements. These statements are the most crucial parts of patent drafts.
• Declaration:Affirm the fact that you’re filing a patent and requesting a grant.
• Fees: Clarify the costs undertaken during the patent application process, including – USPTO charges for filing the patent, examination fees, etc. Include any extra charges paid for additional proceedings (if any) as well.
• Datasheets:Track all patent-related activities in an application data sheet and present them in the final application.
• Illustrations:Include drawings or illustrations that give readers visible guides on your invention. The patent drawings need to be created as per USPTO guidelines.

Patent attorneys can help inexperienced inventors draft well-detailed patents. They also help applicants fill up their patent application transmittal letters. However, they can’t help applicants create perfect illustrations for their patent applications. That’s where the need for professional patent drawing services arises.

USPTO Rules for Patent Drawings and Illustrations

According to the USPTO, all applicants are legally obliged to submit drawings/illustrations of their inventions if these drawings/illustrations help readers comprehend the inventions’ functionalities in a better way. Be it a utility patent or a design patent – if you can describe your invention or prototype more effectively with illustrations, your patent application must contain high-quality drawings and illustrations.

The USPTO has super-strict guidelines when it comes to patent drawings and illustrations. They don’t need to appear like works of fine art. But they must follow the USPTO guidelines and at least define the invention/prototype clearly and accurately. Some United States Codes applicants need to read to know more about USPTO rules for patent drawings and illustrations are – 35 U.S.C. 102, 35 U.S.C. 103, 35 U.S.C. 112, 35 U.S.C. 132, 35 U.S.C. 171, and 35 U.S.C. 172.

Here’s a brief overview of USPTO’s formatting rules for patent drawings and illustrations –

• No colors allowed – only use black ink on white papers. Unless it’s impossible to describe the invention without colors, avoid using them. If you have to use colors, submit a separate petition to the USPTO asking for permission. Similarly, the use of photographs is only recommended when they’re crucial for presenting the invention in a better way.
• The More Illustrations, the Better – Patent applicants should include as many illustrations as they feel is necessary to properly describe the invention/prototype.
• Paper Requirements – The white and non-shiny pages need to have clear margins. Their sizes should be – 8.5 inches by 11 inches.
• Layout Requirements – The illustrations should be vertical/upright (not horizontal). Shading and labeling are allowed. Only use letters/numbers in the illustrations as reference characters pointing out different sections of the invention/prototype.

According to the USPTO, most patent applications – both design and utility, feature drawings and illustrations. Now, these technical drawings are hard to create. That’s why most inventors avoid doing this daunting task on their own and outsource these responsibilities to professional patent illustration experts.

Working with Patent Drawing Service Providers – The Benefits

The leading patent illustration experts offer confidential services. These agencies create thousands of patent illustrations every year, so security shouldn’t concern patent applicants. They bring out the best of their clients’ inventions and offer unlimited iterations until the patent applicants are happy with the results. They also –

• Follow all USPTO rules and guidelines regarding patent illustrations.
• Help express complex inventions and ideas in the simplest ways.
• Cooperate with the patent applicants, making sure their clients carry out the other important responsibilities involved in the patent application and filing processes.
• Make sure their clients’ patents stand out from the rest in terms of detail and aesthetics.
• Patent illustrators charge on a per-drawing basis. The cost of having formal drawings prepared for your patent is minimal. However, the cost of not having patent illustration experts on your team could be unnecessary delays in receiving patent grants.

Top patent illustration experts help their clients draft perfectly prepared patent applications, which ultimately lead to quick patent grants. That’s why top patent attorneys recommend their services.