美國專利細則規範很多細節,如圖中編號Fig. 1, ...順序、字母與大小都有規定,甚至僅使用單張圖式時... 還不能使用"Fig."。
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(u) Numbering of views.(視圖編號)
(1) The different views must be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals(用數字順序編號), starting with 1, independent of the numbering of the sheets and, if possible, in the order in which they appear on the drawing sheet(s). Partial views intended to form one complete view, on one or several sheets(部分視圖用完整一或多張圖表示), must be identified by the same number followed by a capital letter(部分視圖用相同編號加上"大寫字母"編號). View numbers must be preceded by the abbreviation "FIG."(用縮寫"FIG."表示) Where only a single view is used in an application to illustrate the claimed invention, it must not be numbered (單獨一張圖就不用編號了)and the abbreviation "FIG." must not appear.(單張視圖的申請案不能使用"FIG."縮寫)
(2) Numbers and letters identifying the views must be simple and clear and must not be used in association with brackets, circles, or inverted commas. (視圖編號與字母不要配合使用特殊符號)The view numbers must be larger than the numbers used for reference characters.(視圖編號要大於圖中元件符號)
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這個規定應該是常識,卻常被我們忽略,或是沒有想過(我自己幾乎沒有印象寫過僅使用一張圖的案子,化學案則應該比較常見一張圖或是沒有圖式的情況!),當只有一張圖,就沒有編號的必要,也就沒有Fig. 1, Fig. 2的需要,連Fig. 1也沒有必要,就直接畫出圖來,說明書用"the figure"。
同事分享有OA提出僅單張圖式卻使用"Fig. 1"的objections。
範例:
反例:
US5981622僅一張圖,說明書中圖式簡說使用「Fig. 1」,說明書描述都有「Fig. 1」與「the FIGURE」。
感謝同事"佳濠"分享這個"冷知識"。
Ron
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