18.—(1) The period prescribed for the purposes of section 15(5)(b) and (6) is the period beginning with the date of filing of the application for a patent and ending with the date of the preliminary examination.
(2) But where the applicant is notified under section 15A(9) that a drawing or part of the description of the invention has been found to be missing, the period prescribed for the purposes of section 15(5)(b) and (6) shall be the period of two months [F1beginning immediately after] the date of the notification.
(3) An applicant may only withdraw a missing part by giving written notice to the comptroller.
(4) A request made under section 15(7)(b) must—
(a)be made in writing;
(b)include sufficient information to identify where in the priority application the contents of the document filed under section 15(5)(b) were included; and
(c)be made before the end of the period prescribed for the purpose of section 15(5)(b).
(5) Any request under section 15(7)(b) shall be considered never to have been made where—
(a)the priority application does not contain every missing part filed under section 15(5); or
(b)the applicant fails, before the end of the relevant period, to furnish to the comptroller copies of all earlier relevant applications—
(i)duly certified by the authority with which they were filed, or
(ii)otherwise verified to the satisfaction of the comptroller.
(6) But paragraph (5)(b) does not apply in respect of an earlier relevant application where that application or a copy of the application is available to the comptroller.
(7) For the purposes of paragraph 5(b) the relevant period is—
(a)sixteen months [F2beginning immediately after] the declared priority date; or
(b)if it expires earlier, the period of four months [F3beginning immediately after] the date on which the request was made under section 15(7)(b).
Textual Amendments
F1Words in rule 18(2) substituted (1.10.2011) by The Patents (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/2052), rules 1, 3, Sch. (with rule 4)
F2Words in rule 18(7)(a) substituted (1.10.2011) by The Patents (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/2052), rules 1, 3, Sch. (with rule 4)
F3Words in rule 18(7)(b) substituted (1.10.2011) by The Patents (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/2052), rules 1, 3, Sch. (with rule 4)