2012-07-09: 欧洲专利申请权利要求中的附图标记会限制权利要求的保护范围吗？

德国华孙专利律师和律师事务所，2012年7月9日，德国慕尼黑

问：欧洲专利申请权利要求中的附图标记会限制权利要求的保护范围吗？

答：根据Rule 43(7) EPC的规定，附图标记并不会限制权利要求的保护范围：

“Where the European patent application contains drawings including reference signs, the technical features specified in the claims shall preferably be followed by such reference signs relating to these features, placed in parentheses, if the intelligibility of the claim can thereby be increased. These reference signs shall not be construed as limiting the claim.”