Day: February 18, 2024

Many rejections to broken line statements are common and typically result from language choice that fails to satisfy the two basic requirements of precisely identifying what is represented by the broken lines and defining their relationship to the claimed design. For an explanation of the two basic requirements, click here.

The theory underlying broken line practice in design patent prosecution is relatively simple. Broken lines typically show portions of an article that form no part of the claimed design, unclaimed environment to the article, or boundaries of the claimed design. Despite these relatively simple concepts, numerous objections and rejections continue