Patent drawings serve to supplement the specification and claims. The drawings can be effectively scanned for publication. The Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP) of the USPTO performs an initial review of drawings in new utility and plant patent applications. Design applications are not published, and thus drawings filed in design patent applications are not reviewed by OPAP for publication purposes.

OPAP inspects the drawings to see if they can be effectively scanned and adequately reproduced. If the drawings are not acceptable, OPAP will object to the drawings and notify applicant that a timely submission of acceptable drawings (e.g., drawings which can be scanned) is required. Under the OPAP review process, OPAP may object to and require corrected drawings within a set time period.

To meet the drawing requirements, a line quality must be heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction. Reference characters, text, sheet numbers, and view numbers must be plain and legible. Lead lines between the reference characters and the details referred to must not be missing. Each figure must be labeled as an Arabic numeral and capital letter in the English alphabet.

If an application with drawings is to be filed electronically via EBS-Web, the drawing must be formatted to a resolution at 300dpi in a black and white mode. Otherwise, the application won’t go through EFS-Web, the electronic filing system. In order for you to file a color drawing set or color photographs, the applicant must file a petition to accept color drawings with explanation as to why the application requires color drawings in the application.