No patent may be granted where the invention has been in public use or publicly disclosed for more than one year before filing of a patent application. Hence, submissions involving inventions should be made as promptly as possible in order to avoid delay which might jeopardize title to the invention or impair the rights of the inventor or the Government.
[61 FR 29659, June 12, 1996]
authority: Sections 1.500 to 1.527 issued under 72 Stat. 1114, 1236, as amended;
38 U.S.C. 501,
5701
source: 40 FR 33944, Aug. 12, 1975, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 38 CFR 1.660