How to Write a Patent Disclosure

Instructions

1

The invention needs a title. It doesn't need to be the name under which the product will be marketed. The name can incorporate the product's function or design.
2

Explain how you got the idea. In "Back to the Future," Doc Brown envisions his flux capacitor after slipping and hitting his head on the toilet. You might not have as colorful a story to tell about how you got your idea, but the circumstances and date of conception need to be described in the patent disclosure.
3

Explain the product's purpose and use. Only uses described in the disclosure will be protected by the patent. If someone later comes along and uses a similar invention for a different purpose, it could be granted a separate patent. Thus, the purpose should be as broad as possible while still being reasonable and justifiable.
4

Describe the parts and design. Another crucial part of the patent disclosure is describing how the invention is made. Another inventor can make a similar device using a different design or different parts, and thus avoid infringing on your patent. The description of the parts must be specific enough to be informative, yet broad enough to protect against other innovations.
5

List the novel features and advantages. As hinted in the previous two steps, you might be able to get a patent for an invention that is only an improvement on a prior invention. If that is the case, your disclosure will need to show how it is different and better than the previous invention and thus worthy of its own patent.