How should broken lines be used in design patent drawings?

How should broken lines be used in design patent drawings?

Broken lines play a crucial role in design patent drawings to indicate portions of an article that are not part of the claimed design. The MPEP 2909.02 provides specific guidance on their use:

“Broken lines may be used to show visible environmental structure or to show the bounds of the claim.”

This means that broken lines can serve two primary purposes:

• To depict environmental structure that is not part of the claimed design but provides context
• To indicate boundaries of the claimed design within a larger article

The MPEP further clarifies:

“Unclaimed subject matter may be shown in broken lines for the purpose of illustrating the environment in which the article embodying the design is used. Unclaimed subject matter must be described as forming no part of the claimed design or of a specified embodiment thereof.”

When using broken lines in your design patent drawings:

• Ensure they are clearly distinguishable from solid lines
• Use them consistently across all views
• Include a description in the specification explaining that the broken lines are for illustrative purposes only and form no part of the claimed design

To learn more:

• design patent drawings
• broken lines
• unclaimed subject matter
• environmental structure