Overview

The Patents Act 1977 states that a patent application cannot be granted unless it describes an intention fully enough and clearly enough for someone else to be able to carry it out. In short, if the information is not sufficient – the application will be refused. Patent drawings or illustrations in patent applications are the visual form of Patent description or Invention; they aid in understanding the invention clearly. They may include illustration of embodiments, stages, flow charts, chemical equations, several views, reference numbers and photographs (in some cases) of the invention. The drawings may be required by the law to be in a particular form, and the requirements may vary depending on the jurisdiction. The drawings must preferably show every feature of the invention as specified in the claims. Although it may be noted that inclusion of drawings in a patent application is not mandatory. The United States Government categories three kinds of patents, all of which have specific criteria for submitting drawings as an essential part of the application process. Here is a brief introduction to the different kinds of patents: