Patent Drawings Rules: Reference Numbers, Lead Lines and Clean Figures

Good patent drawings make an invention instantly understandable. They are judged on clarity, not artistic style.

Black and white, clean lines

Use solid black lines on a white background. Avoid color, gray shading and photographs unless they are the only practical way to show the invention.

Reference numbers and lead lines

Give every important part a number and connect it with a thin lead line. Add numbers and lead lines last, after the main drawing is complete, so they do not clutter the geometry.

Consistency with the text

Each number must appear in the written description with the same name. FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and so on must be listed in the brief description of the drawings.

Several views

Perspective, side, exploded and cross-section views help show how parts fit together.

Generated drawings

GetQuickPatent generates patent-style black-and-white drawings on demand and adds reference numerals in a final pass. Always check every figure against your invention before filing.