3 Tips For Writing A Strong Description Of Your Product When Applying For A Patent

If you have come up with a really great idea, you might be thinking about applying for a patent or discussing a patent acquisition so that you don't have to worry about anyone else stealing your idea. Doing so can be a smart decision--particularly if you plan on moving forward with your invention--but the process is not as easy as you might think. You will need to file a patent application, and in this application you will need to provide a strong description of your product. These are a few tips that can help you write a good description on your application.

1. Think of the Questions You Might Ask

Since you are the one who has come up with the product, you probably don't have a lot of questions about it. However, the person who reads your patent application more than likely will. This means that when you are drafting the description part of your application, you will need to think about the questions that you might ask if someone were telling you about the product. Then, make sure that you answer these questions in your description. If necessary, consider talking to friends and family members about your product, and see what types of questions they ask. Then, address those questions in your description.

2. Break it Down

You might feel silly writing things out in simple terms, but when it comes to describing a product that has not been invented yet, this is usually the best way to go. Break things down and oversimplify them as necessary. This will help eliminate questions that someone might have when reading your patent application and will help ensure that you don't leave anything out. Use a thesaurus during this process to find the most accurate word(s) you're looking for.

3. Look at Photos for Reference

Even though your product might not have been created yet, there may be photos out there of similar items that can help make it easier for you to describe your idea. Use photos for reference to help you come up with a more thorough description for your product, and consider attaching these photos to your application. These photos can help you construct a patent drawing (required for most applications) when you hire an artist to draw up your plans. If you are a good enough artist, you can create this drawing yourself by doing the following:

• drawing everything to scale
• labeling each component with number callouts
• using the correct paper size and margin size required by your patent office
• drawing the invention with only black ink

Along with following these tips, it's a good idea to work with a patent attorney. Then, he or she can look over your patent application and can help ensure that you don't make any mistakes.