Online U.S. Provisional Patent Application

Note - text can be pasted into the text boxes below.
Note - if you cannot complete form in a single session, select "partial" and "submit" to save the completed information.  Print out the form confirmation page which will appear as a record of the completed information.  When restarting, re-enter the email address for identification purposes.  There is no need to re-enter other completed/submitted information.

* means required field, + means optional but recommended field
< > indicates suggestions, information and/or examples

 Inventors:

* Inventor's Name (first, middle or initial, last/surname)

* Inventor's Residence (city and state, or foreign country)

  Additional Inventors

 insert names and residence city/state of each additional inventor

  Title of the Invention:

  <brief generic title; example - Mousetrap; 20 characters or less preferred; 500 characters maximum>

  Correspondence Address:

  <only one person and one address, person need not be one of the inventors>

* Name  

* Street Address  

* City  

* State  

* Zip  

* Country

* Telephone

* Email

 Drawings:

<drawings are required - sheets must be letter size (8.5x11) or A4 paper>

<drawings must be black/white line drawings - download example>

<sheet may have more than one figure [Fig.]>

<drawings must be submitted as an email attachment or by mail>

* Number of sheets of drawings

one two three four or more

Filing status:

<determines filing fee - $105 small entity, $210 large entity>

<one or more individuals are a small entity unless under an obligation to assign to a large entity>

* Select small entity or large entity

  Small Entity Large Entity

U.S. Government Agency Status

* Was this invention made by an agency of the United States Government or under contract with an agency of the United State Government?  Answer yes or no

  no yes

Related Applications:

<no information required or possible - provisional application cannot claim priority from any other application, regardless of whether the earlier application is domestic or foreign>

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

+ Insert the technical field of the invention

<just name the general field – do not describe the invention here>

<example – rodent control/mousetrap/cheese-baited spring traps >

 (optional but recommended) insert technical field of the invention

+ Insert list of any known prior art

<list patents by country, patent number, issue date, first-named inventor, list publications by author, title, publication date, name and volume of periodical, if any, relevant page numbers, Internet address and date accessed if applicable>

 (optional but recommended) insert list of prior art, patents and/or publications

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

+ Insert a brief overview statement about what the invention is, what it does and what feature or features are believed new

<one or two sentences, starting with “The present invention (also) is a _______” is sufficient>

<example – The present invention is a mousetrap for baiting with cheese or other food which has a fall-away floor and pegs to anchor it in the ground. >

 (optional but recommended) insert one or two sentences about what the invention is and what it does or features believed new

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

< Label each drawing with a Figure (or drawing) number, such as Fig. 1, Fig. 2 etc. and then for each drawing, insert the name of what is shown in that Fig.>

<Example - mousetrap, side of mousetrap, components of mousetrap>

 Fig. 1 is a

 Fig. 2 is a

 Fig. 3 is a

 Fig. 4 is a

 Continue list for additional drawings below

 insert any additional Fig. numbers and name of what is shown in each

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

* Insert an enabling description of the invention - in four sections - below.

<optional (but recommended) - number each item and component in the drawings, and insert the numbers after each item whenever it is specifically mentioned in the detailed description.>

* Section 1 - Identify what it is; identify each of the components (and each of the subcomponents, if any).

<example of identifying -  Referring to the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, there is shown a mousetrap 10 having a first side 12, a second side 14, a third side 16, a fourth side 18, a top 20, a bottom 22.  Each of the sides 12, 14, 16, 18 are connected to adjacent sides to define a rectangular space that is enclosed above by the top 20 and below by the bottom 22.  Further there is an aperture or doorway 24 in the first side 12, and a clip or food holder 26 mounted on the internal face of the third side 16.  The food holder 26 is therefore opposite the doorway 24.  In the bottom 22 is a spring-loaded trap door 28.  At each lower corner is a downward jutting peg 30.>

insert the identifications of items and components shown in Fig. 1, and then Fig. 2, etc.

* Section 2 - Describe what it does, and how it works.

<example of describing what it does/how it works - In more detail, still referring to the invention of FIG. 1, the mousetrap 10 when used is anchored to the ground over a sufficiently deep hole 32, as shown in Fig. 2, with the spring-loaded trap door 28 over the hole 32 so that the trap door 28 opens downwardly, into the hole 32 when a mouse steps on it.  Food such as cheese or the like is placed in the food holder 26 as bait.  When a mouse enters the mousetrap 10 through the doorway in the first side 12, it must cross the bottom 22 to reach the food in the food holder 26, and in so doing will step onto the trap door 28.  The trap door 28 then will swing downward into the hole 32, dump the mouse into the hole 32, and swing back, leaving the mouse enclosed in the hole 32.>

insert what it does and how it works for what is shown in Fig. 1, and then Fig. 2, etc.

* Section 3 - Describe relative sizes or proportions or other relative conditions which are required or preferred.

<example of describing sizes, materials - In further detail, still referring to the invention of FIG. 1, the connections between the side walls 12, 14, 16, 18 and the top 20 and the bottom 22 must be sufficiently closed so that a mouse in unable to reach the food in the food holder 26 except by entering the mousetrap 10 through the doorway 24.  The trap door 28 must be sufficiently large in area so that a mouse cannot walk around it or reach over it.  The trap door 28 must be sufficiently large in area so that the mouse will fall into the hole 32 when the trap door 28 springs downward.  The spring-loading on the trap door 28 must be sufficiently tight so that the trap door 28 quickly swings back up and tightly shuts.  The pegs 30 must be sufficiently long so that the mousetrap 10 is sufficiently anchored on the ground around the hole and so that it will not be displaced from that position by winds or the jostling of a passing squirrel.  The doorway must be sufficiently large that a mouse can get through it but not large enough for a squirrel or cat to get through it.>

 insert relative sizes or amounts or other conditions for what is shown in FIG. 1, and then FIG. 2, etc.

* Section 4 - Describe "as shown" materials, dimensions, other parameters.

<example of materials, dimensions, other parameters – As illustrated, the walls 12, 14, 16, 18, the top 10, the bottom 22, and the trap door 28 are each made of wood (give details of thickness), but they of course can be made from any sufficiently rigid material, such as plastic or metal.  The walls 12, 14, 16, 18 are each about __ inches high as shown, and a height of from about ___ to about ___ inches would be sufficient.  The first and third sides 12, 16 as shown are each about ___ inches wide, and a width of about from ___ to ___ would be sufficient.  Etc.>

insert materials, dimensions, other parameters for what is shown in FIG. 1, and then FIG. 2, etc.

Optional Inclusions to Detailed Description

+ Insert a basic description of drastically different version of invention, referring to the drawings in which it is shown, including

< Example – a mousetrap formed like a hollow rock, having a continuous outer shell (except for the doorway), which illustrates that four walls are not necessary.>

 (optional but recommended) insert a description of a drastically different example or examples of the invention

+ Insert a list of advantages of the invention, without limiting the advantages to those listed.

<Example - The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, ...>

 (optional but recommended) insert a description of the advantages of the invention

+ Insert a description of the invention which is broader than illustrated in the drawings.

< Example – In broad embodiment, the present invention is a mousetrap of any shape which ...>

(optional but recommended) insert a broad description of the invention

 + The following paragraph will be added at the end.

<While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as broadly described herein.>

CLAIM OR CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

+ Insert one or more claims, listing elements which comprise the invention.

<not recommended because incorrect claim drafting can prejudice your position when a non-provisional patent is filed – option to have a single broad claim professionally drafted for the application – see below>

(optional and not recommended) insert one of more claims reciting minimal elements of invention

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

+ Insert an abstract (brief summary) of the description written above, without adding anything different, without any numbers and without referring to the drawings.

(optional) insert an abstract of the description. Do not add anything not already in the description. Do not refer to drawings or drawing numbers.

*Indicate whether a complete or partial submission.

This is a complete submission This is a partial submission