Source: http://integrityip.com/GGL/Patent/Provisional-Patent.aspx
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 10:16:32+00:00

Document:
According to some, a provisional patent application may be used as a low-cost alternative or a preliminary step before filing for a so called ‘non-provisional’ or full and complete patent application. Filing in this way gives one additional year of protection or grace. Furthermore, this filing strategy may provide you with enough time to test market your invention before incurring very substantial attorney fees of a regular patent – while you are not required to use an attorney or agent for a regular patent, they are complex and sometime difficult for non-experts to prepare well.
There are advantages and disadvantages to a provisional patent application – you are encouraged to learn about them before making your decision regarding a filing strategy. A provisional patent application should always be as complete as possible. Leaving matter out of your provisional application tends to make the coverage it might otherwise provide weaker. While you will not be required to prepare patent claims (most difficult to draft well) with the provisional patent application, the non-provisional application will require at least one claim. A provisional patent application always expires at its 12 month anniversary – and never becomes a patent. Only when you file a non-provisional based upon a earlier filed provisional will a ‘patent’ finally result.
Since June 8, 1995, the United States Patent and Trademark Office or USPTO has offered inventors the option of filing a provisional application for utility patents. This provided a lower-cost first patent filing in the United States and gave United States based applicants parity with other applicants under the GATT Uruguay Round Agreements. While the program has benefits and pitfalls, it remains popular and often used process to precede a normal patent filing.
A provisional patent application allows an inventor to describe her/his idea without any formal patent format, without claims, without a sworn declaration, or any information about previous inventions of others (i.e. prior art) statement. It provides means to establish an early effective filing date to be conveyed to a non-provisional patent application. In another benefit, one may use the term "Patent Pending" which can have some marketing and business strategy advantages.
There are no official USPTO forms or electronic filing available for a provisional patent. Parts of the application will need to be written by you or by a professional and you will need to accompany the application with a "provisional cover sheet" and a "fee transmittal form", which are USPTO provided.
A provisional application for patent has a pendency lasting 12 months from the date the provisional application is filed. The 12-month pendency period cannot be extended. Therefore, an applicant who files a provisional application must file a corresponding non-provisional application for patent during the 12-month pendency period of the provisional application in order to benefit from the earlier filing of the provisional application. The corresponding non-provisional application must contain or be amended to contain a specific reference to the provisional application.
Once a provisional application is filed, an alternative to filing a corresponding non-provisional application is to convert the provisional application to a non-provisional application by filing a grantable petition requesting such a conversion within 12 months of the provisional application filing date.
Additional information from the United States Patent Office follows.
Since June 8, 1995, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has offered inventors the option of filing a provisional application for patent which was designed to provide a lower-cost first patent filing in the United States. Applicants are entitled to claim the benefit of a provisional application in a corresponding non-provisional application filed not later than 12 months after the provisional application filing date. Under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) , the corresponding non-provisional application would benefit in three ways: (1) patentability would be evaluated as though filed on the earlier provisional application filing date, (2) the resulting publication or patent would be treated as a reference under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) as of the earlier provisional application filing date, and (3) the twenty-year patent term would be measured from the later non-provisional application filing date. Thus, domestic applicants are placed on equal footing with foreign applicants with respect to the patent term. Inventors may file U.S. provisional applications regardless of citizenship. Note that provisional applications cannot claim the benefit of a previously filed application, either foreign or domestic. Note also that 35 U.S.C. § 112 must be complied with as discussed in the paragraph below in order to receive the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) .
The later-filed non-provisional application claiming the benefit of the provisional application must include at least one claim particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter, which the applicant regards as the invention. See 35 U.S.C. § 112 , 2nd paragraph. Although a claim is not required in a provisional application, the written description and any drawing(s) of the provisional application must adequately support the subject matter claimed in the later-filed non-provisional application in order for the later-filed non-provisional application to benefit from the provisional application filing date. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that the disclosure filed as the provisional application adequately provides a written description of the full scope of the subject matter regarded as the invention and desired to be claimed in the later filed non-provisional application. There is no requirement that the written description and any drawings filed in a provisional application and a later-filed non-provisional application be identical, however, the later-filed non-provisional application is only entitled to the benefit of the common subject matter disclosed in the corresponding non-provisional application filed not later than 12 months after the provisional application filing date. Additionally the specification shall disclose the manner and process of making and using the invention, in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which the invention pertains to make and use the invention and set forth the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. See 35 U.S.C. § 112 , 1st paragraph.
A provisional application for patent is a U. S. national application for patent filed in the USPTO under 35 U.S.C. § 111(b) . It allows filing without a formal patent claim, oath or declaration, or any information disclosure (prior art) statement. It provides the means to establish an early effective filing date in a later-filed non-provisional patent application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 111(a) . It also allows the term "Patent Pending" to be applied in connection with the description of the invention.
A provisional application for patent (provisional application) has a pendency lasting 12 months from the date the provisional application is filed. The 12-month pendency period cannot be extended. Therefore, an applicant who files a provisional application must file a corresponding non-provisional application for patent (non-provisional application) during the 12-month pendency period of the provisional application in order to benefit from the earlier filing of the provisional application. In accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) , the corresponding non-provisional application must contain or be amended to contain a specific reference to the provisional application within the time period and in the manner required by 37 CFR 1.78.
any drawings necessary to understand the invention, complying with 35 U.S.C. §113 .
any US Government agency that has a property interest in the application.
Form PTO/SB/16, available on the printable forms page of the USPTO website at http://www.uspto.gov/web/forms/index.xml may be used as the cover sheet for a provisional application.
Fees are subject to change. The current fee for a provisional application for patent can be found on the fee page . USPTO Contact Center (UCC) customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays) at 800-786-9199 to provide fee information. Payment by check or money order must be made payable to "Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office".
This information is general in nature and is not meant to substitute for advice provided by a patent practitioner. Applicants unfamiliar with the requirements of US patent law and procedures should consult an attorney or for example, Integrity Intellectual Property registered to practice before the USPTO.
Provisional patents are a good start, but they are no substitution for the real thing. File early, file often, then follow-up with a full application.
Can I get two provisionals for the same thing? I want to file a new provisional for every improvement I make as I go along.
I want to patent my lifts - we make very unique new systems - but we are not finished with our designs yet. I like to use provisionals to put in place holders until this design is more firm.

References: § 119
 § 102
 § 112
 § 119
 § 112
 § 112
 § 111
 § 111
 § 119
 §113