Divisional patent application

A divisional patent application is a patent application (known as a "daughter" application) which is derived from a first, more general application (known as the "parent" application).

The filing of such an application is necessary when the parent application does not meet the unity of invention requirement, and the applicant wishes to obtain a patent for all the inventions included in the parent application. Thus, if an invention is abandoned during examination of the parent application, the divisional application will nevertheless enable it to be protected.