Why You Need To Patent Your Invention
Let us assume you are an inventor, and you have this new revolutionary idea which can get your business to a new milestone. But wait what if your product got copied; what if another businessman with deeper pockets tried to booby trap your multi-million idea; and then tries shred your dreams by giving you stiff competition in the market on what was supposed to be your monopoly?
This is where the concept of patent protection comes in. A patent is described as a set of special rights granted for a limited period by a sovereign state to an inventor or an assignee. For this, the assignee needs to make a detailed disclosure of his/her invention in the form of patent drawings. Patents are considered to be an intellectual property.
Now, the question that comes up is - what is a patent drawing? A patent application may also contain labeled drawing illustrating components of an invention; this detailed drawing is known as patent drawing. The drawings should be in particular form as required by the law, which a patent drafting expert can address better.
There are some essentials of drawings for patent application, like:
- Identification: this generally includes inventor’s name, application number, and title of invention etc.
- Graphical forms: this should include chemical or mathematical formulas that are applied and are subjected to same requirements as in drawings.
- Type & size of paper: paper must be A4 size (8.5 by 11 inches), and should be smooth and white, but not shiny; it should be flexible, strong and durable.
- Views: the drawing must contain the complete plan. It should provide a detailed view of as many components as required, and all prospective views. Keep all of the views in same direction and standard margin should also be included. Its scaling should be large enough to show the mechanism clearly and aids to understand invention and all the elements used in it.
- Symbols: it should be used whenever appropriate to illustrate use of conventional elements.
- Legends: a drawing for patent application should contain as few words as possible; instead use of more arrows, graphical symbols and characters, and lead line are preferable.
Drawing formats and requirements differ from country to country where the patent is being filed, so it is advisable to check local patent offices for acknowledging requirements.
Okay, but what’s the advantage of all this hassle? This is how it is going to benefit its inventor:
- If you want to stop others to copy, manufacture, sell or import your invented product or technology; a patent gives you all those rights. However, these restrictions can be bypassed by your permission.
- You get patent protection for a pre-determined period, during which you can keep other competitors at bay and utilize your invention for yourself.
- A patent can be an important source of revenue to you. You can license your patents for others to use it – as with any other asset; and then collected royalties from the licensed patents.
About The Author
Tom Jones is an expert in patent drafting and drawing functions who also likes to help people in getting these jobs done well through the many tips and ideas he offers. He loves to write informative articles and blogs for the benefit of novice inventors. He recommends CotsisCAD.com as the name you should trust for high quality patent drafting services.