Patent Drawing FAQs

Patent drawings or patent application drawings are clear, detailed line drawings that serve as visual representations of a claim, and they are required for most patents to be issued.

see examples of patent drawings

Patent drawings are essential for most patent applications. If somebody wants to file a patent with the USPTO, they must present a full patent application for their design or invention (or plant), which almost always includes one or multiple drawings of the claim. These drawings identify key details of the claim that are necessary for a patent examiner to understand exactly what would be patented upon their approval.

The time it takes to create a patent drawing is dependent on multiple factors. In addition to the level of intricacy that the claimed subject matter may have, turnaround time for a patent drawing depends on the quality of reference materials provided by the patent applicant. For example, creating a patent drawing with few or poor-quality reference materials increases the likelihood of inaccuracy, requiring more back and forth communication between the illustrator and client in order for the illustrator to have enough quality reference material to create an accurate drawing. Patent drawings may also take longer to make depending on the number of figures or views that must be depicted to properly and fully depict the claimed subject matter, or the number of modified forms included in the claim.

NVG’s average turnaround time is usually a week, but we can handle most deadlines.

A patent illustration service is a service that makes patent drawings for a client to use in putting together an application for a patent to be filed with the USPTO. Nearly all patent applications require drawings of the subject matter being claimed. A professional service like NVG has the expertise to produce top quality patent drawings that follow US patent laws and meet every requirement and standard set by the USPTO.

Making patent drawings requires proper drafting tools (if done by hand) or graphic design/illustration software. While it is technically possible for a patent applicant to create their own patent drawing, they would require the proper materials, illustration skills, and knowledge of patent drawing laws and requirements in order to efficiently make their drawings. If you need patent drawings for a patent application, we highly recommend using an expert third party like us, NVG, to deliver quick, quality drawings that fit all of the USPTO‘s requirements.

Patent illustration requirements for all patent applications (utility, design, and plant) generally follow US Patent Law 37 CFR 1.84 Standards for drawings. Design patent applications additionally follow US Patent Law 37 CFR 1.152 Design drawings.

Patent illustrators, like us at NVG, base their drawings on materials given to them by a patent applicant or a patent applicant’s patent attorney. These materials should provide a full and detailed understanding of the claim and are often in the form of digital 3D models, photographs, sketches, or prototypes of the invention or design. Patent illustrators may also produce patent drawings based on previous drawings submitted by their client that received objections from the USPTO.

Yes, patent drawings may be done by hand but the USPTO requests hand drawings be scanned and put in PDF format for filing online.

The USPTO has various online tools to assist patent applicants as they conduct their preliminary search of previously issued patents and prior art to determine if their invention is patentable. One of these resources, the Patent Public Search tool, provides the public with access to issued patents, including their respective patent drawings. Examples of design patent drawings can also be found in the USPTO design patent application guide.

Although drawings are not always necessary to explain a process, they can be very useful and contribute to a patent examiner’s understanding of the claim.

Patent illustration requirements for all patent applications (utility, design, and plant) generally follow US Patent Law 37 CFR 1.84 Standards for drawings. Design patent applications additionally follow US Patent Law 37 CFR 1.152 Design drawings.

No. The scale of a drawing must often be increased to make the drawing large enough to clearly show details.

Patent drawings are almost always done in black and white. While the USPTO may permit the use of color in design applications if an applicant files a petition, utility application drawings rarely require color and are therefore almost always required to be in black and white.

Making patent drawings requires proper drafting tools (if done by hand) or graphic design/illustration software. While it is technically possible for a patent applicant to create their own patent drawing, they would require the proper materials, illustration skills, and knowledge of patent drawing laws and requirements in order to efficiently make their drawings. If you need patent drawings for a patent application, we highly recommend using an expert patent drawing service like us, NVG, to deliver quick, quality drawings that fit all of the USPTO‘s requirements.

Average turnaround time is usually a week, but we can handle most deadlines.

The average cost of a sheet of drawings ranges from $60- $85. However, each case is unique, and pricing depends on a variety of factors such as: technical difficulty of the subject matter (simple, moderate, complex), quality and formats provided, and type of patent (utility or design).

To provide you an accurate cost of your job, we offer Free Estimates. To request an estimate, email us at nvginc@nvg-inc.com with your requirements and job matter. We will confirm receipt once received.

Your trust is very important to us which is why we enforce a strict privacy policy when working with litigation and patent materials. We regularly sign NDAs with clients and have been asked if we provide them. To assist some clients,  we have provided you with a Sample NDA* you can refer to and download with this link.

* Disclaimer: The contents here in, do not constitute legal advice, are not intended to be a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You should seek legal advice or other professional advice in relation to any particular matters you or your organization may have.

Submit ALL matters and job requests to nvginc@nvg-inc.com  We will reply with confirmation once your email is received.

Please provide best possible images to improve accuracy and reduce turn-a-round times. Include your matter number and due date for your matter.

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2. Call 703-539-8883 with your credit card and pay multiple invoices at once – we accept all major credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

3. Send Check payable to Northern Virginia Graphics, Inc. to our address: 13996 Parkeast Circle, Suite 103, Chantilly, VA 20151

While it isn’t required to hire a patent attorney to file a patent application, their knowledge of patent law, procedures established by the USPTO, and technical or scientific standards related to your invention will help you receive the best protections for it. Patent attorneys and agents must be registered by the USPTO to assist in drafting and prosecuting your application.

A patent application will face objections or rejection if it does not comply with legal requirements or is not deemed “new,” “useful,” or “non-obvious” after a search of prior art and US patents is completed. Amendments to an application may be made after initial objections/rejection, and the application will be reexamined, however, if it doesn’t surpass all objections the examiner can send a Final Action. If an application does not satisfy requirements in response to a Final Action, an appeal must be made to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) for the patent application to be defended at a hearing, or a request must be filed for continued examination (RCE), or in the case of a design patent application, a Continued Prosecution Application (CPA).

Patent applications are required to contain drawings if they “are necessary to understand the subject matter to be patented.” –USPTO

This applies to the majority of patent applications. Design patent applications may use black and white photographs in lieu of drawings, but a visual disclosure, either a drawing or photograph, must be included. Some utility patent applications such as those claiming an original process or composition of matter do not require but still benefit from patent illustrations.

“Patent pending” is a term granted by the USPTO for use by a patent applicant who has submitted a provisional application in anticipation of filing a non-provisional patent application within 12 months

Design patents are given a term of fifteen years from the date they are granted. Utility patents (as well as plant patents) are given a term of 20 years from the filing date of their first non-provisional application. However the USPTO has the authority to extend or adjust patent terms under unusual conditions.

Four conditions must be met to qualify for a patent:
1. Can be used (not just a theory)
2. Has a clear description of how it is made and used
3. New (novel)
4. “Not obvious” (as related to prior inventions and their changes)

Yes. Patents for original and useful processes as well as compositions of matter may be applied for with a utility patent.

There are 3 types of patents: utility patents, design patents, and plant patents.

A design patent protects a “new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.” – USPTO

see the difference between a design patent drawing and a utility patent drawing

Design patents are given a term of fifteen years from the date they are granted.

A claimed design must be new, original, and ornamental. A design patent only protects the appearance, not function, of an article of manufacture, so the subject of a design patent application must be related to the shapes, surfaces, and other visual ornaments embodied by or applied to the article.

A utility patent protects a “new or improved and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter.” – USPTO

see the difference between a utility patent drawing and a design patent drawing

Utility patents (as well as plant patents) are given a term of 20 years from the date their first non-provisional application was filed

Intellectual property protections include patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

learn about the differences between trademark, patent, and copyright

A patent grants an inventor or designer the right to stop another from making, using, selling, or importing their invention or design. Copyright is a type of IP that protects original works of authorship such as paintings, photos, drawings, musical compositions, books, movies, architecture, etc. While patents and trademarks are issued and registered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), copyrights are registered with the United States Copyright Office (USCO).

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While a patent grants an inventor or designer the right to stop another from making, using, selling, or importing their invention or design, a trademark grants rights to how a phrase, word, symbol, and/or design is used with a specific good or service. Both are regulated by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

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IP lawyers/attorneys have expertise in Intellectual Property Law and may specialize in specific types of IP protections such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. They can provide crucial advice on federal registration and application processes for IP protections as well as offer assistance in enforcing and maintaining IP rights.