The low down on patent drawings and design registration illustrations
Table of Contents
Do I need an invention drawing for my patent/registered design?
Patent drawings/illustrations are optional in Australia but are recommended if they can assist to describe your inventions.
But for a Registered design, they are essential.
What is the difference between a registered design and a patent?
A Registered design protects, how it looks and a patent protects how it works.
Design Registration covers
- shape
- colour
- configuration
- pattern
- ornamentation
Patents protect the way something works or operates, such as a:
- device
- substance
- method
- process
Example of the difference between a registered design and a patent
Patent
Using a Lego brick as an example, a patent would protect the interlocking features of the blocks.
Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls
Registered design
Whereas a registered designcould be applied to the visual representation of the iconic Lego character.
It is common for companies to protect their products with patents, registered designs and trademarks for names and logo's.
Further reading about Lego IP protection
Tips
Tip: Keep it a secret
It is important to keep your product secret before applying for both a patent and a registered design because if your product is seen on a website even if you own the site, it will be seen as prior art.
We have non disclosure agreements available for download
Tip: Apply for both at the same time
If you apply for a registered design first, then try to apply for a patent. As the design is already registered it will count as prior art. So if you are to apply for both a patent and a registered design, you must do this at the same time.
Links
What are the patent drawing requirements?
- Drawings must commence on a separate page.
- Images and drawings must be executed in durable, black, dense, dark, uniformly thick and well defined, lines and strokes without colouring.
- Greyscale images should not be used as information is lost when scanning them or converting them to black and white.
- Each drawing or figure should be numbered separately and labelled by a sign to indicate that it is a drawing (see Appendix IV).
- Drawing pages must be numbered showing the page number and total page numbers for example 1/2, 2/2.
- Drawings must not be included in the description, claims or abstract.
- Drawings must not contain a frame surrounding the drawings.
- A drawing must not include text, other than a word or words necessary to understanding the drawing.
IP Australia - Best practice guide
Check out our patent drawing services
What should a Design Registration drawing include?
Representations should:
- be clear and of high quality
- be consistent in style
- show only one design
- contain enough different and labelled views to show all aspects of your design
- show the whole product
- have a natural background
- match the additional information in your application.
IP Australia - 6.8. Representations: Drawings