Informal and Formals

Candidates interested in pursuing Patent Drawing Illustration as their career, when looking out for Patent Drawings samples, they always get the chance to see the finalized drawings published in the patents and industrial design patents. Also, while interviewing the candidates, due to confidentiality issues, it is not possible to show them the inputs provided by the clients. So, when they start working on the live projects, they found it really difficult to understand the invention. So, today I want to show some of my published patents. What was the input and how the final drawing looks like? First, let me tell you about Informal and Formals. In Patent Drawings, the input received from the client (patent agent, patent attorney, inventor or law firms) in the form of images, photographs, hand sketches, written notes or descriptions is termed as 'Informals'. And the finalized drawings, which are used in the patent application during filing and which are created using those 'Informals' with planning and creativity within the guidelines of the patent office is termed as 'Formals'.

Every invention is innovative and unique in nature. So, every drawing needs special creativity to convert it from Informal to Formal. One should understand the overall invention to get the final output. It is not like just tracing the photograph received.

Here, I want to cite an example from published granted patent US10380467B2 - Systems and methods for transit industry vehicle rider accessory capacity monitoring: Fig. 2A

US10380467B2 - Informal - Fig. 2A

US10380467B2 - Formal - Fig. 2A

You can see from both the pictures that there are many things visible in the informal photograph provided. However, the formal do have has those features and the parts. Because these are not part of the invention, so these should not be added to the drawings.

Also, you can see the way of writing the reference numbers and figure number (view number).

Let see one more example from the same patent: Fig. 1

US10380467B2 - Informal - Fig. 1

US10380467B2 - Formal - Fig. 1

You can see the scale and text of the 'directional block diagram'. Also, can see the uniform thickness of the lines used.

Let's have one more example from a published granted patent 'US10306580B1' - Single registration mode support for interworking between 5GC and EPC - Fig. 7

US10306580B1 - Informal - Fig. 7

US10306580B1 - Formal - Fig. 7

From the formal drawing, it can be seen that the text sizes, reference numbers placement and sizes are very important in patent drawings. The line quality should not be blurry and the drawing should be scaled up properly to show all the text and content of the block diagram.

Here is one more example from the published granted patent - 'US11084010B2' - Temperature conditioned two component mixer manifold - Fig. 4

US11084010B2 - Informal - Fig. 4

US11084010B2 - Formal - Fig. 4

I believe it is now clear that the informal received and the formals created are quite different in nature. I will share more such types of drawings once the patents are granted and published in the public domain.

So, if you want to learn more about the patent drawings, there is an upcoming "Online Patent Drawing Training" Program. The registration will start on January 03, 2022, and the training will start on January 06, 2022. For more details please visit: https://www.desillus.com/training

Any Law Firm wanted to train their patent illustrators may enrol their employees on the training program. For enquiry please email at info@desillus.com

Technical tips to create Intellectual Property Industrial Design Drawings

Axonometric Projection

Axonometric projection is a type of orthographic projection used for creating a pictorial drawing of an object, where the object is rotated around one or more of its axes to reveal multiple sides.

Axonometric Projections

The three types of axonometric projection are isometric projection, dimetric projection, and trimetric projection, depending on the exact angle at which the view deviates from the orthogonal. Typically in axonometric drawing, as in other types of pictorials, one axis of space is shown to be vertical.

Many times, while rendering patent drawings, especially for a utility drawing, such projections are required to use.

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Perspective Views

The perspective view renders a realistic view of models, images, or graphics. Distant Objects appear smaller than objects in the foreground. Perspective is the way in which models appear to the eye depending on their spatial attributes or their dimensions, and the position of the eye relative to the models.

Aerial Perspective View

Aerial perspective, also called atmospheric perspective, method of creating the illusion of depth, or recession, in a painting or drawing by modulating colour to simulate changes effected by the atmosphere on the colours of things seen at a distance.

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One-point perspective view

A drawing has a one-point perspective when it contains only one vanishing point on the horizon line.

One-Point Perspective

Two-point perspective view

A drawing has a two-point perspective when it contains two vanishing points on the horizon line.

Two-Point Perspective

Three-point perspective view

A drawing has a three-point perspective when it contains three vanishing points on the horizon line.

Three-Point Perspective

Most of the patent drawings are based on these perspective views. Sometimes, the inputs are provided with hand-drawn sketches. To get a better quality output of the idea, one should use these techniques.

Even, these techniques are helpful during tracing a photograph.

Orthographic Projections

Orthographic projection is a means of representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions.

Orthographic views and its isometric views

Orthographic views and its isometric views

Orthographic projections are very important for a design patent drawing. To get a correct design view, one should use orthographic projections.

If you want to protect your ideas, feel free to contact us at info@desillus.com or visit us at desillus.com

References: Wikipedia

37 CFR § 1.84 (q) Lead lines

Lead lines are those lines between the reference characters and the details referred to.

• Lead lines may be straight or curved and should be as short as possible.

• Lead lines must not cross each other.

• They must originate in the immediate proximity of the reference character and extend to the feature indicated.

• Lead lines are required for each reference character except for those which indicate the surface or cross-section on which they are placed. Such a reference character must be underlined to make it clear that a lead line has not been left out by mistake. Example as shown in Fig. 12 and Fig.13, reference number marked with underline 1204.