How should views be arranged and numbered in plant patent drawings?
The arrangement and numbering of views in plant patent drawings are governed by 37 CFR 1.84, as referenced in MPEP 1606. Key points include:
Arrangement of Views:
- One view must not be placed upon another or within the outline of another
- All views on the same sheet should stand in the same direction
- If possible, views should be readable with the sheet held in an upright position
Numbering of Views:
- Views must be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals, starting with 1
- Numbers should be independent of sheet numbering
- View numbers must be preceded by the abbreviation “FIG.”
- If only a single view is used, it must not be numbered and “FIG.” must not appear
The MPEP states: “Numbers and letters identifying the views must be simple and clear and must not be used in association with brackets, circles, or inverted commas. The view numbers must be larger than the numbers used for reference characters.” This ensures clarity and ease of reference in the patent document.
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