Patent Factsheets: Description The basis of a UK patent application is a legal document called a specification. Its contents determine whether a patent can be granted. You would be well advised to seek professional assistance when preparing your patent application. A patent specification includes: • a full description of your invention, plus any drawings referred to within your description • one or more claims. This factsheet tells you about the description. An example is shown overleaf. Other factsheets in this series explain how to prepare claims, drawings, and an abstract (which is another essential part of an application). Content The description must explain your invention fully at the time of filing because information cannot be added later. A patent will not be granted if your description does not contain sufficient information to enable others to construct or perform your invention. Your description should begin with a short title which indicates the general subject of your invention. The title should not include the inventor’s name, a trade mark or other fictitious name, or the word “patent” or “etc”. Also it should not give away the essential details of your invention. A typical description begins by setting out the background of the invention and often then explains a particular problem that your invention solves, and what it does. It may then summarise the essential features of your invention, and some important but not essential features. This is then followed by an introduction to the drawings (if any), indicating in a few words what each drawing illustrates. The rest of the description describes (with more detailed reference to any drawings), one or more particular examples of how the invention may be performed. Page 2 of the example overleaf contains a detailed outline of the invention. Do not feel that you have to limit this part of the description. Most detailed descriptions will need to extend to several pages. Note that descriptions in excess of 35 pages will incur an additional fee of £10 per page, later in the process. Important features are indicated in the drawings using reference numbers. These numbers are then used in the description to refer to those features. The same reference number should always be used to refer to the same feature. Do not include text that is not directly concerned with your invention. Style and presentation The description must be in English or Welsh. The Office will provide a translation of any material filed in Welsh. Type (or print) the pages of your description on one side only of separate sheets of white A4 paper. Leave margins of at least 2.0cm. Number the pages of text in order, e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, at the top of each page (but below the margin) in the middle of the page. Submitting by paper Join the pages together with a paper clip or bulldog clip at the top centre of the pages. Please do not join the pages by stapling.