608.02(w)   Drawing Changes Which May Be Made Without Applicant’s Annotated Sheets [R-2]

Where an application is ready for issue except for a slight defect in the drawing not involving change in structure, the examiner will prepare a letter to the applicant indicating the change to be made and include a marked-up copy of the drawing showing the addition or alteration to be made. The marked-up copy of the drawing should be attached to the letter to the applicant and a copy placed in the application file.

The correction must be made at applicant’s expense.

As a guide to the examiner, the following corrections are illustrative of those that may be made by an annotated sheet:

    • (A) Adding two or three reference characters or exponents.
    • (B) Changing one or two numerals or figure ordinals. Garrett v. Cox, 233 F.2d 343, 346, 110 USPQ 52, 54 (CCPA 1956).
    • (C) Removing superfluous matter.
    • (D) Adding or reversing directional arrows.
    • (E) Changing Roman Numerals to Arabic Numerals to agree with specification.
    • (F) Adding section lines or brackets, where easily executed.
    • (G) Changing lead lines.
    • (H) Correcting misspelled legends.