Guidelines for Examination
PART C
CHAPTER III CLAIMS
2. Form and content of claims
2.1 Technical features
 

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PART C
CHAPTER III CLAIMSCHAPTER III CLAIMS
2. Form and content of claims2. Form and content of claims
       2.2 Two-part form2.2 Two-part form  
 

2.1

Technical features

 

The claims must be drafted in terms of the "technical features of the invention". This means that claims should not contain any statements relating, for example, to commercial advantages or other non-technical matters, but statements of purpose should be allowed if they assist in defining the invention.

 

Rule 29(1)



It is not necessary that every feature should be expressed in terms of a structural limitation. Functional features may be included provided that a skilled person would have no difficulty in providing some means of performing this function without exercising inventive skill (see III, 6.5). For the specific case of a functional definition of a pathological condition, see III, 4.14.

 

Claims to the use of the invention, in the sense of the technical application thereof, are allowable.