I wonder if anyone can direct me to an article on which font to use for headers and text in a patent. I have searched some articles without luck. I want my provisional patent to be as formal as the other provisional patents.
Thank you.
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Sign up to join this communityThe U.S. Patent Office sets out the font and line spacing for non-provisional patent applications in MPEP 608 (37 CFR 1.52) as:
(2) The specification (including the abstract and claims) for other than reissue applications and reexamination or supplemental examination proceedings, and any amendments for applications (including reissue applications) and reexamination proceedings to the specification, except as provided for in §§ 1.821 through 1.825, must have:
(i) Lines that are 1 1/2 or double spaced;
(ii) Text written in a nonscript type font (e.g., Arial, Times Roman, or Courier, preferably a font size of 12) lettering style having capital letters which should be at least 0.3175 cm. (0.125 inch) high, but may be no smaller than 0.21 cm. (0.08 inch) high (e.g., a font size of 6); and
(iii) Only a single column of text.
https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s608.html#d0e42440
Please note that there are no definitive standards for a provisional application as it is never examined. However it should be legible in order for it to be checked if necessary for support for the non-provisional application.