Posted by Thomas Saunders on April 22, 1998 at 04:06:36:
In Reply to: Is there such a thing as disclosing too much info on a patent application? posted by Jami on March 31, 1998 at 18:55:09:
It is definitely true that one has to be careful not to put too much in the patent specification. For example, if one patents a coating, one should avoid describing in any great detail the coating application machinery. It is one thing to know about a product composition and quite a different thing to know how to make it. Similarly, one should focus on the novel materials in the coating and provide as little information as possible on the other components. Quite honestly, the general rule is to only discuss in the patent specification information on the patented product that could reasonably be obtained by standard analysis of the product. As a rule of thumb, the less detailed the patent is, the more vague the claims will be, the more useful patent one will have.
Your patent attorney will no doubt disagree, particularly if they are American, as they charge per page !