How To Decide Which View Is The Right Side View (Or Left) In Design Drawings?

[david]

Q: Paraphased questions from the “Intellectual Property Law Server”
http://www.intelproplaw.com/ip_forum/index.php/topic,27594.msg124934.html

When describing the views (see example below) in a design patent application, how is it determined which is the “right side view” of an object? Or left side view? Is that from my perspective as I stare at the front of the object, or from the object’s perspective relative to its front? Is there is a rule defining from whose orientation the labeling is determined from?

Figure Descriptions

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of widget;
Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;
Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Fig. 4 is a left side elevational view thereof;
Fig. 5 is a right side elevational view thereof;
Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof; and
Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view thereof.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by david.

[david]

A: In order to answer this question, it is helpful to visual a six-sided transparent box that surrounds the particular object in question. In this figure, you will see FIG. 1 which shows an object surrounded by the glass box. Each view is created by projecting the image of the object onto the glass walls of the box which are labeled “FRONT”, “RIGHT SIDE” and “TOP”, etc. The viewer is the one to decide which view is the front view and once that is determined, all the other views flow from that decision including the right and left side views. At times, it is obvious which view should be the front view and other times not. FIG. 2 shows the glass box unfolded and the views arranged as a multi-view projection. FIG. 2 is created by rotating the various walls in FIG. 1 90 degrees as indicated by the green arrows and hinges in FIG. 1.

Typically, in design patent drawings, it is helpful to arrange your figures in a similar manner as the multi-view projection as shown in FIG. 2 but it is not required. The drawings can be arranged as convenient but most applicants try and maintain alignment between views as much as possible to help in understanding.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by david.

[Author]

Posts