Country Codes
Country codes consist of two letters (e.g. GB) indicating the country or organisation where the patent application was filed or granted.
AL Albania
AP African Regional Industrial Property Organization
AR Argentina
AT Austria
AU Australia
BA Bosnia and Herzegovina
BE Belgium
BG Bulgaria
BR Brazil
CA Canada
CH Switzerland
CL Chile
CN China
CO Colombia
CR Costa Rica
CS Czechoslovakia (up to 1993)
CU Cuba
CY Cyprus
CZ Czech Republic
DD German Democratic Republic
DE Germany
DK Denmark
DZ Algeria
EA Eurasian Patent Organization
EC Ecuador
EE Estonia
EG Egypt
EP European Patent Office
ES Spain
FI Finland
FR France
GB United Kingdom
GC Gulf Cooperation Council
GE Georgia
GR Greece
GT Guatemala
HK Hong Kong (S.A.R.)
HR Croatia
HU Hungary
ID Indonesia
IE Ireland
IL Israel
IN India
IS Iceland
IT Italy
JP Japan
KE Kenya
KR Korea (South)
LI Liechtenstein
LT Lithuania
LU Luxembourg
LV Latvia
MA Morocco
MC Monaco
MD Republic of Moldova
ME Montenegro
MK Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
MN Mongolia
MT Malta
MW Malawi
MX Mexico
MY Malaysia
NC New Caledonia
NI Nicaragua
NL Netherlands
NO Norway
NZ New Zealand
OA African Intellectual Property Organization
PA Panama
PE Peru
PH Philippines
PL Poland
PT Portugal
RO Romania
RS Serbia
RU Russian Federation
SE Sweden
SG Singapore
SI Slovenia
SK Slovakia
SM San Marino
SU Soviet Union (USSR)
SV El Salvador
TJTajikistan
TRTurkey
TTTrinidad and Tobago
TWTaiwan
UAUkraine
USUnited States of America
UYUruguay
VNViet Nam
WOWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
YUYugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro
ZASouth Africa
ZMZambia
ZWZimbabwe
Kind Codes
Kind codes include a letter, and in many cases a number, used to distinguish the kind of patent document (e.g., publication of an application for a utility patent (patent application publication), patent, plant patent application publication, plant patent, or design patent) and the level of publication (e.g., first publication, second publication, or corrected publication).
WIPO ST.16 Kind Codes Kind of document
A1 Patent Application Publication
A2 Patent Application Publication (Republication)
A9 Patent Application Publication (Corrected Publication)
B1 Patent
B2 Patent
C1, C2, C3 Reexamination Certificate
E Reissue Patent
H Statutory Invention Registration (SIR)
P1 Plant Patent Application Publication
P2 Plant Patent
P3 Plant Patent
P4 Plant Patent Application Publication (Republication)
P9 Plant Patent Application Publication (Corrected Publication)
S Design Patent
The following links will provide guidelines for a patent drawing for the different jurisdictions
USPTO
CIPO
Industrial Design Office Practices
6. Examination
6.1 Industrial design subject matter
Industrial design means:
Features of shape, configuration, pattern, ornament, or any combination of these features that are applied to a finished article.
This includes:
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designs applied to articles that are sold separately, even if they are not normally used on their own. For example, a zipper is sold as a separate article, but in normal use, it is part of another article such as a piece of clothing or a handbag;
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designs applied to combined articles consisting of two or more components that come apart and are separate articles in themselves, provided that such components combine to make a finished article, e.g., tray with lid;
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electronic icons embodied in a finished article (Note: a new practice notice has been published for animated electronic icons. Please refer to the practice notice entitled, “Application for Protection of Computer-Generated Animated Designs”, January 16, 2017);
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designs applied to "sets" as defined in section 2 of the Industrial Design Act;
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designs applied to finished articles assembled from a kit, as per the definition of "kit" in section 2 of the Industrial Design Act;
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designs applied to portable buildings and structures—preformed, portable and delivered to purchasers as finished articles or in sections to be put together by a simple operation such as bolting; and
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designs applied to articles of indefinite length such as fabric and wallpaper.
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Industrial design does NOT apply to:
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design features in isolation—protection can only be obtained for design features that have been applied to a particular finished article;
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the functional characteristics of an article, e.g., what the article does and how;
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methods or principles of construction, e.g., what the article is made of and how it is assembled;
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ideas or general concepts—only a specific design applied to a particular finished article can be protected;
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the colour of an article (Note: the Office has changed its interpretation with regard to the registrability of colour. Please refer to the practice entitled “Update: Colour as a registrable feature of an industrial design”, May 2, 2017);
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features of an article that do not have a fixed appearance, e.g., holograms; and
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buildings and structures to be constructed on site (not including structures that are preformed, portable and delivered to purchasers as finished articles, or in sections to be put together by a simple operation such as bolting).
6.4.5 Description identifying the features that constitute the design
Design applied to the entirety or a portion of the article
The description must indicate whether the design relates to the appearance of the entire article or to the appearance of a portion of the article. Further, if the design relates only to a portion, that portion must be clearly identified.
Which visual features
The description must make clear which of the visual features shown in the drawings comprise the design. For example, does the design consist of all of the visual features of the article or only certain specific features, e.g., only shape.
Any feature of the design referred to in the description must be visible in the drawings or photographs.
An application may include a more detailed description provided that the additional detail accurately describes design features visible in the drawings or photographs.
Highlighting important features
It is acceptable to highlight a particular feature that is considered to be an important feature of the design.
Words or letters
When letters or words are included in the drawings or photographs as features of the design, any description of those features must relate to their visual appearance. Words and letters per se are not registrable subject matter of industrial design.
Variants
An application must relate to one design or to designs that constitute variants. To be accepted as variants, the designs must be very similar and possess the described features without substantial variation.
Sets
It should be clear in the description when the design applies to a set and the description should refer only to the design features common among all pieces of the set, e.g., the identical design or variants applied to each piece of the set. It is acceptable to indicate the location of these features on each piece of the set.
Figure reference
It is recommended that a figure reference be inserted at the end of the description when more than one drawing or photograph has been provided. The figure references should be restricted to describing the views seen in the drawings, i.e., perspective, front, back, top, bottom, left side, right side.
When an article is shown in an opened and closed position or in an extended and retracted position, the figure references should also make that clear, e.g., Figure l is a bottom view of the kettle and Figure 2 is a top view of the kettle showing the kettle with the lid in open position.
6.5 Drawings or photographs
6.5.1 General requirements
Show entire article
The drawings/photographs must show the entire finished article to which the design is applied, even though the design may relate to the appearance of only a portion of the article.
Show fully-assembled article
Only the fully assembled view of the finished article will be accepted. Parts that are not visible in the completely assembled article are not registrable and should not be shown or labelled.
Show article in isolation
The article must be shown in isolation. The only subject matter that will be accepted aside from the illustration of the article are figure numbers, the names of the views, and the applicant's name/signature. Such written matter must not hinder the clear disclosure of the article (see also section below entitled "One view showing environment").
Clearly disclose design features
The drawings/photographs must clearly disclose all the design features identified and described in the description portion of the application.
It is acceptable to submit photocopies or scanned images if the article and the features of the design are clearly shown.
Quality
Drawings and photographs must be clear and legible and must be presented so that the Office can directly reproduce them in black and white.
Photographs
Photographs should be numbered in sequence. It is suggested that the numbers be written, stamped or typed on the back of the photograph with permanent ink.
Views
The drawings/photographs must include a sufficient number of views to show the features of the design clearly and accurately.
Two-dimensional, plan and elevation views are accepted, and it is recommended that a perspective view of the design be included since it discloses the article in three dimensions.
Views of the article in open and closed, or extended and retracted positions, may be included when it is necessary to reveal design features visible when the article is used in those positions.
Flexible articles
Articles such as clothing and cushions that are flexible may be shown flat or as they appear in use, provided that the features of the design are shown clearly and accurately.
Sets
All pieces of the set must be shown in the drawings or photographs.
Variants
It is preferable to group views of each variant together (i.e., consecutively). A sufficient number of views are required for each variant to clearly and accurately disclose the design features.
CINPA Patent Drawing Rules
Rules for the Implementation of the Patent Law of the People's Republic of China
Article 18
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The drawings of an invention or utility model shall be numbered and arranged in numerical order consecutively as “Figure 1, Figure 2, …”.
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Reference signs not mentioned in the text of the description of the invention or utility model shall not appear in the drawings, and reference signs not included in the drawings shall not be referred to in the text of the description. Reference signs for the same composite part shall be used consistently throughout the application document.
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The drawings shall not contain any other explanatory notes, except for words which are indispensable.
Article 27
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Where an applicant seeks the protection of colors, drawings or photographs in color shall be submitted.
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The applicant shall, in respect of the subject matter of the product incorporating the design which is in need of protection, submit the relevant drawings or photographs.
Article 52
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When any amendment is made to the description or the claims in an application for a patent for invention or utility model, a replacement sheet in prescribed form shall be submitted, unless the amendment concerns only the alteration, insertion or deletion of a few words. Where an amendment to the drawings or photographs of an application for a patent for design is made, a replacement sheet shall be submitted as prescribed.
Article 104 (Foreign Filing)
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(5) where an international application is filed in a foreign language, submitting the Chinese translation of the abstract and submitting a copy of the drawings and a copy of the drawing of the abstract if there are drawings and the drawing of the abstract, in which the text matter of the drawings, if any, shall be replaced by the corresponding text matter in Chinese; where the international application is filed in Chinese, submitting a copy of the abstract and a copy of the drawing of the abstract which are contained in the documents of the international publication;
Article 121
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Various kinds of application documents shall be typed or printed, and all the characters shall be in black ink, neat and clear, and free from any alterations. The drawings shall be made in black ink with the aid of drafting instruments, and the lines shall be uniformly thick and well defined, and free from any alterations.
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The request, description, claims, drawings and abstract shall be numbered separately in Arabic numerals and arranged in numerical order.
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The written language of an application shall run from left to right. Only one side of each sheet shall be used.
JPO Industrial Design Rules
In some countries, it is possible to show a design with only one drawing. In Japan, however, it is standard to show a design based on a set of orthographic drawings that include a front view, rear view, left-side view, right-side view, top-view, and bottom-view. All of the drawings must be the same scale. However, it is also possible to show a design by using isometric drawings or oblique drawings.
In addition, instead of submitting a set of drawings, it is also possible to submit photographs, models or specimens that show the design.