Industrial Property Rules, 2004 (S.I No. 54 of 2004), Bahamas, WIPO Lex

Main text(s)

English Industrial Property Rules, 2004 (S.I No. 54 of 2004)

CHAPTER 324

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY RULES

(SECTION 58)

[Commencement 8th June, 1967]

PART I PRELIMINARY

1. These Rules may be cited as the Industrial Property Rules.

Interpretation

2. (1) In the construction of these Rules, any wordsherein used the meaning of which is defined by the Act orthe Interpretation and General Clauses Act, as amended, shall have the mean-ings thereby assigned to them.

(2) In these Rules —

“agent” means an agent duly authorised to the satisfaction of the Registrar General;

“Deposit List” means deposit list of designs;

“Office” means the Industrial Property Office of the Registrar General’s Department;

“Register” means the register of patents.

(3) Any reference in these Rules to a section orsubsection shall be read and construed as a reference to a section or subsection of the Industrial Property Act.

The fees to be paid in pursuance of the Act shallbe the fees specified in the First Schedule to these Rules.
The forms herein referred to are the forms contained in the Second Schedule to these Rules and such forms shall be used in all cases to which they are applicable and shall be modified as directed by the Registrar Generalto meet other cases.

S.I.: 33/1967
S.I.: 96/1975
S.I.: 70/1983
S.I.: 34/2003
S.I.: 54/2004

Citation.

Interpretation.

Ch. 2.

S.I.: 96/1975.
S.I.: 96/1975.

Fees.

Forms.

Documents

Size, etc., of documents.

Service of documents.

Address.

Agents.

Subject to any other directions that may be given by the Registrar General in any particular case, all applications, notices, papers having representations affixed, and other documents lodged under the Act or these Rules, other than drawings supplied in connection with applications for Letters Patent, shall be upon foolscap paper of a size approximately 13 inches by 8 inches, on one side only, and shall have on the left hand part thereof amargin of not less than one inch and a half.
Any application, notice or other document sent to the Department by post shall be deemed to have been given, made or filed at the time when the letter containing the document would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.

7 (1) Every person concerned in any proceedings to which these Rules relate and every patentee and every proprietor of claim for design copyright shall furnish to the Registrar General an address for service in The Bahamas and that address may be treated for all purposes connected with such proceedings or patent or claim for design copyright as the address of the person concerned in the proceedings or the patentee or the proprietor of the claim for design copyright as the case may be.

(2): The address given shall in all cases be as full as possible for the purpose of enabling any person easily to find the place of business or of residence (as the case may be) of the person whose address is given.
(3): When a person does not carry on business orreside in a town with streets, the Registrar General may require the address to include all indications which he thinks necessary for the purpose set out in paragraph (2)above.
(4): When a person carries on business or resides ina town where there are streets, the address given shall include the name of the street and the number in the street or name of premises, if any.

Agents

8. (1) With the exception of documents mentioned in paragraph (2) and unless the Registrar General otherwise

directs in any particular case all notices, applications or other documents filed under the Act may be signed by and all attendances upon the Registrar General may be made by or through an agent duly authorised to the satisfaction of the Registrar General.
(2) The following documents are excepted from paragraph (1): the authorisation of an agent, an applicationfor a patent or for the grant of a patent of addition in lieu ofan independent patent; a claim for design copyright; and an application, request, notice, claim or declaration on any of the following forms, namely Forms numbers 3, 4, 9, 11, 12 and 20.
(3) Where an agent is authorised as aforesaid service upon such agent of any document relating to the matter in respect of which such agent has been authorised shall be deemed to be service upon the person so appointing him, and all communications directed to be made to such person in respect of such matter may be addressed to such agent.
(4) The Registrar General shall not be bound to recognise as such agent any person who has been convictedcriminally or struck off the Roll of Counsel and Attorneys or who is an undischarged bankrupt.
PART II
PATENTS
Applications for the Grant of Patents
9. (1) An application for a patent shall be madeon Form No. 1.	Form of application. Form 1.
(2) In the case of an application by the assignee of the person claiming to be the true and first inventor there shall be furnished at the time of filing such application orwithin a period of three months thereafter the declarationrequired by section 6(2).
(3) An application for the grant of a Patent of Addition in lieu of an independent patent shall be made on Form No. 1 Add.	Form No. 1 Add.

Application by personal representatives.

Translation of documents.

Application by firm or company.

To accompany specification.

Material.

Size.

In the case of an application by the personalrepresentative of a deceased person who, immediately before his death, was entitled to make such an applicationthe probate of the will of the deceased, or the letters of administration of his estate, or an official copy of the probate or letters of administration, shall be produced at the Department in proof of the applicant’s title to act as personal representative.
If any specification or other document relating to an application for a patent is in a foreign language, it shall be accompanied by a translation thereof verified by affidavit or otherwise to the satisfaction of the Registrar General.
(1) If an application for a patent is made by a firm or partnership it may be signed in the name of or forand on behalf of the firm or partnership by any one or more members thereof.

(2) If the application be made by a body corporate it may be signed by a Director or by the Secretary or otherprincipal officer of such body corporate.

Drawings

Drawings when supplied shall be furnished in duplicate and shall accompany the specification to whichthey refer.

(1) Drawings shall be hand-made or reproduced on white, hot-pressed, rolled or calendered strong drawing paper of smooth surface, good quality and medium thickness, without washes or colours, in such a way as to admit of being clearly reproduced on a reduced scale by photography or, without any intermediary steps on a stereotype.
(2) Mounted drawings may not be used.

(1) Drawings shall be on sheets which measure 13 inches from top to bottom and are either from 8¼ inches to 84inches or from 16 inches to 16¼ inches wide and a clear margin of half an inch shall be left at the edges of the sheet.

(2): If there are more figures than can be shown on one of the smaller sized sheets, two or more of these sheets shall be used unless the larger size is required by the size of any one figure.
(3): An exceptionally large figure may be continued on subsequent sheets.
(4): No more sheets shall be employed than are necessary.
(5): The figures shall be numbered consecutivelywithout regard to the number of sheets, and shall as far as possible be arranged in numerical order, separated by a sufficient space to keep them distinct.
(6): Where figures on a number of sheets form in effecta single complete figure, they shall be so arranged that the complete figure can be assembled without concealing any part of another figure.

16. Drawings shall be prepared in accordance with the following requirements —

(a): they shall be executed in durable very darkmarkings;
(b): each line shall be firmly and evenly drawn, sharply defined, and of the same strengththroughout;
(c): section lines, lines for effect, and shading lines shall be as few as possible and shall not be closely drawn;
(d): shading fines shall not contrast excessively inthickness with the general lines of the drawing;
(e): sections and shading shall not be represented by solid black or washes;
(f): they shall be on a scale sufficiently large toshow the invention clearly, and only so much of the apparatus, machine or article may appear as effects this purpose;
(g): if the scale is given, it shall be drawn and notdenoted by words, and no dimension may be marked on the drawings;
(h): the figures shall be drawn in an upright position in regard to the top and bottom of the sheet;
(i): reference letters and numerals, and index letters and numerals used in conjunction therewith, shall be bold, distinct and not less than one-eighth of an inch in height, the same letters ornumerals shall be used in different views of the same parts, and where the reference letters or numerals are shown outside the parts referred to they shall be connected with the said parts by fine lines.

Draughtsmanship requirements.

Marking of drawings.

No descriptive matter on constructional drawings.

Drawings to be unmarked.

Examiner’s fee.

S.I. 96/1975.

First Schedule.

Division under section 10(3).

17. (1) Drawings shall bear —

(a): in the left-hand top corner the name of the applicant;
(b): in the right-hand top corner the number of sheetsof drawings sent and the consecutive number of each sheet and the words “original” or “duplicate” as the case may require;
(c): in the right-hand bottom corner the signature of the applicant or his agent.

(2) The title of the invention shall not appear on the drawings.

18. (1) No descriptive matter shall appear on constructional drawings, but drawings in the nature of flow sheets may bear descriptive matter to show the materialsused and the chemical or other reactions or treatments effected in carrying out the invention.

(2): Drawings showing a number of instruments or units of apparatus and their interconnections, eithermechanical or electrical, where each such instrument or unit is shown only symbolically, may bear such descriptive matter as is necessary to identify the instruments or units or their interconnections.
(3): No drawing or sketch other than a graphicchemical formula or a mathematical formula, symbol or equation, shall appear in the verbal part of the specification.

Drawings shall be delivered at the Department free from folds, breaks or creases which would render them unsuitable for reproduction by photography.
Where the Registrar General refers the application and specification to an examiner under section 10(1), there shall be paid by the applicant the examiner’s fee specified at item 2 of the First Schedule.

Divisions and Ante-dating of Applications

21. (1) Subject to the approval of the Registrar General an applicant may on his own initiative divide his application by limiting the claims of the specification andfiling a divisional application or applications in respect of subject matter which has thus been excluded from the claims, and preserve as the date of each divisional application (and the specification filed in pursuance thereof) the date of the initial application and the benefit of the right of convention priority, if any, and the Registrar General may direct accordingly provided that —

(a): such division is made before the acceptance of the specification;
(b): the filing of the divisional application orapplications takes place within two months of effecting the limitation of the claims of the first application;
(c): the application which is sought to be divided isnot itself an application which has been divided from another application under section 10(3) of the Act or an application which has been antedated under section 10(7) of the Act.

(2) Each divisional application shall be examined in accordance with the provisions of section 10 of the Act, and shall otherwise be proceeded with as a substantive application in accordance with the Act and these Rules.

22. (1) Where an applicant has made an application for a patent, and before the acceptance of the specification,makes a fresh application for a patent for matter included in the first mentioned application or the specification filedin pursuance thereof the Registrar General may direct that the fresh application and specification filed in pursuance of that application shall be ante-dated to the date of filing of the first mentioned application if the applicant includes in the fresh application a request to that effect.

(2) The Registrar General may require such amendment of the specification filed in pursuance of either of the said applications as may be necessary to ensure that neither of the said specifications includes a claim for matterclaimed in the other.

Request for Post-dating an Application

23. Where an applicant for a patent desires that hisapplication shall be post-dated in pursuance of the provisions of section 10(6) he shall make a request on Form No. 3.

Ante-dating under section 10(7).

Post-dating of application.

Form 3.

Request for issue.

Form 4.

Extension of time.

Form 5.

Form of patent.

Payable as from

end of 4th year.

Form 6.

Payable in

advance.

Extension of

time.

Form 7.

Certificate of

payment.

Form 8.

Reminder.

Issue and Form of Patent

A request for the issue of a patent on a application shall be made on Form No. 4.
An application under section 12(2) for theextension of the period for making a request for the issue of a patent shall be made on Form No. 5.
A patent shall be in the Form A or B (whichever is applicable) set out in Part II of the Second Schedule to these Rules or such modification of either of these forms as the Registrar General directs.

Renewal Fees

The prescribed renewal fees shall be paid byfiling Form No. 6 before the expiration of the fourth year from the date of a patent and thereafter before the expiration of each successive year during the term of the patent or before the expiration of such extended period as may be allowed upon an application under rule 29.
All or any of the prescribed annual renewal feesmay be paid in advance.
A request for extension of the period for payment of any renewal fee shall be made on Form No. 7.
On due compliance with the terms of rule 27 the Registrar General shall issue a Certificate on Form No. 8 that the prescribed fee has been duly paid.
At any time not less than one month before the date when any renewal fee will become due in respect of any patent, the Registrar General shall send to the patentee or patentees at this or their address for service and to the address of the person or persons who paid the last renewal fee, a notice reminding him or them of thedate when such fee will become due and of the consequences of the non-payment thereof.

Restoration of Lapsed Patents and Lapsed Applications for Patents (Sections 15 and 16)

An application under section 15 for restorationof a patent shall be made on Form No. 25 and shall beaccompanied by evidence in support of the statementsmade in the application.
(1) If upon consideration of the evidence, the Registrar General is not satisfied that a prima facie case for an order under section 15 has been made out, he shall notify the applicant accordingly and, unless within one month the applicant requests to be heard in the matter, the Registrar General shall refuse the application.

(2) If the applicant requests a hearing within the time allowed, the Registrar General after giving the applicant an opportunity of being heard, shall determine whether the application may proceed to advertisement orwhether it shall be refused.

34. (1) At any time within two months of theadvertisement of the application under section 15(4), any person may give notice of opposition thereto on Form No.

26.

(2): Such notice shall be accompanied by a copy thereof and shall be supported by a statement (in duplicate) setting out fully the nature of the opponent’s interests andthe facts upon which he relies.
(3): A copy of the notice and of the statement shall be sent by the Registrar General to the applicant.

If the applicant desires to proceed with hisapplication, he shall, within three months of the receipt of such copies, file a counter-statement setting out fully the grounds upon which the opposition is contested and deliver to the opponent a copy thereof.
The opponent may, within three months from thereceipt of the copy of the counter-statement, file evidence insupport of his case and shall deliver to the applicant acopy of the evidence.

Application for restoration of patent.

S.I. 96/1975.

Form 25.

Refusal of application.

S.I.. 96/1975.

Notice of opposition.

S.I. 96/1975.

Form 26.

Applicant’s counter-statement.

S.I. 96/1975

Opponent’s filing of evidence.

S.I. 96/1975.

Applicant’s evidence and opponent’s evidence in reply.

S.I 96/1975.

Further evidence.

S.I. 96/1975

Copies of documents to be supplied.

S.I 96/1975.

Hearing.

S.I. 96/1975.

Form 10.

Within three months from the receipt of the copy of the opponent’s evidence, or, if the opponent does not fileany evidence, within three months from the expiration of the time within which the opponent’s evidence might havebeen filed, the applicant may file evidence in support of his case and shall deliver to the opponent a copy of theevidence; and within three months from the receipt of the copy of the applicant’s evidence, the opponent may fileevidence confined to matters strictly in reply and shalldeliver to the applicant a copy of the evidence.
No further evidence shall be filed by either partyexcept by leave or direction of the Registrar General.
(1) Copies of all documents referred to in the notice of opposition or in any statement or evidence filed in connection with the opposition, authenticated to the satisfaction of the Registrar General, shall be furnished (in duplicate) for the Registrar General’s use unless he otherwise directs. Such copies shall accompany the notice, statement or evidence in which they are referred to.

(2) Where a specification or other document in a foreign language is referred to, a translation thereof, verified by statutory declaration or otherwise to the satisfaction of the Registrar General, and one additional copy of the translation, shall also be furnished.

40. (1) On completion of the evidence (if any) or at such time as he may see fit, the Registrar General shallappoint a time for the hearing of the case, and shall give the parties at least 14 days’ notice of the appointment.

(2): If either party desires to be heard, he shall notify the Registrar General on Form No. 10 and the RegistrarGeneral may refuse to hear either party who has not filed the said form prior to the date of the hearing.
(3): If either party intends to refer at the hearing toany publication not already mentioned in the proceedings, he shall give to the other party and to the Registrar Generalat least ten days’ notice of his intention, together with details of each publication to which he intends to refer.
(4): After hearing the party or parties desiring to beheard or if neither party desires to be heard, then, without a hearing, the Registrar General shall decide the case and notify his decision to the parties.

If the Registrar General decides in favour of theapplicant, he shall notify him accordingly and require him tofile Form No. 27 together with Form No. 6 accompanied by fees to the amount of the unpaid renewal fees.
In every order of the Registrar General undersection 16 restoring a patent the following provision shall be inserted for the protection of persons who have begun to avail themselves of the patented invention between the datewhen the patent ceased to have effect and the date of the application —

“(1) No action or other proceeding shall be commenced or prosecuted nor any damage recovered in respect of any manufacture use or sale of the invention the subject of the patent in the interim period as hereinafter defined by any person not being a licensee under the patent at the date when it ceased to have effect, the ...................... who after such date and before the ....................... the date of the application has made, used, exercised or sold the invention the subject of the patent or has manufactured orinstalled any plant, machinery or apparatus claimed in the specification of the patent or for carrying out a method orprocess so claimed. Any such person shall be deemed to have so acted with the licence of the patentee and shall thereafter be entitled to continue to make, use, exercise or sell the invention, without infringement of the patent to the extent hereinafter specified that is to say —

(a): In so far as the specification of the patentclaims an article (other than plant, machinery or apparatus or part thereof as specified under head (b) hereof) and any article soclaimed has been manufactured by him during the said interim period, that particular article may at all times be used or sold.
(b): In so far as the specification claims any plant, machinery or apparatus or part thereof for the production of an article,then any particular plant, machinery or apparatus or part thereof so claimed, which has been manufactured or installed by him during the said interim period, and the products thereof, may at all times be used or sold and so that in the event of any such plant, machinery, apparatus or part thereof

Decision favourable to applicant.

S.I. 96/1975.

Form 27.

Form 6.

Protection of other persons.

S.I. 96/1975.

Application for sealing of patent.

S.I. 96/1975

Form 28.

Refusal of application.

S.I. 96/1975.

Notice of opposition.

S.I. 96/1975.

Form 29.

being impaired by wear or tear or accidentally destroyed a like licence shall extend to anyreplacement thereof and to the products of such replacement.

(c) In so far as the specification claims any process for the making or treating of any article or any method or process of testing, any particular plant, machinery or apparatus which during the said interim period has been manufactured or installed by him or exclusively or mainly used by him forcarrying on such method or process may atall times be so used or continue to be so used and the products thereof may at all times be used or sold and so that in the event of any such plant, machinery or apparatus being impaired by wear and tear or accidentally destroyed a like licence shall extend to such method or process when carried on in any replacement of such plant, machinery or apparatus and to the products of the process so carried on.

(2) In paragraph (1) “the interim period” meansthe period between the date when the patent ceasedto have effect and the date of the order.”

An application under section 18 for sealing of apatent shall be made on Form No. 28 and shall be accompanied by evidence in support of the statementsmade in the application.
(1) If upon consideration of the evidence, the Registrar General is not satisfied that a prima facie case for an order under section 16 has been made out, he shall notify the applicant accordingly and unless within one month from that notification the applicant requests to be heard in the matter, the Registrar General shall refuse theapplication.

(2) If the applicant requests a hearing within the time allowed, the Registrar General, after giving the applicant an opportunity of being heard, shall determine whether the application may proceed to advertisement orwhether it shall be refused.

45. (1) At any time within two months of the advertisement of an application under section 18(3) any person may give notice of opposition thereto on Form No. 29.

(2): Such notice shall be accompanied by a copy thereof and shall be supported by a statement (in duplicate), setting out fully the nature of the opponent’sinterest and the facts upon which he relies.
(3): A copy of the notice and statement shall be sent by the Registrar General to the applicant.

Upon notice of opposition being given, rules 35to 40 shall apply.
If the Registrar General decides in favour of theapplicant, he shall notify the applicant accordingly andrequire him to file Form No. 30 together with Form No. 4.
In every order of the Registrar General undersection 16 for the sealing of a patent the same provision shall be inserted for the protection of persons who havebegun to avail themselves of the invention between the time allowed by or under section 12 for making theprescribed request for sealing expired and the date of theapplication for an order for sealing, as are specified in rule42 for the protection of persons who have begun to availthemselves of a patented invention between the date when the patent ceased to have effect, and the date of the application for restoration, there being substituted forreferences to the date when the patent ceased to have effectreferences to the date when the time allowed by or under section 12 for making the request for sealing expired.

Revocation of Patent by the Registrar General

49. (1) An application for the revocation of a patent under section 25 shall be made on Form No. 9 and shall be accompanied by a copy thereof, and a statement (in duplicate) setting out fully the facts upon which theapplicant for revocation relies and the relief which he seeks.

(2) A copy of the application and of the statement shall be sent by the Registrar General to the patentee.

50. If the patentee desires to contest the application ,he shall within three months of the receipt of such copies file a counter-statement setting out fully the grounds upon which the application is contested and deliver to theapplicant for revocation a copy thereof.

Procedure upon opposition.

S.I. 96/1975.

Decision for applicant.

S.I. 96/1975.

Protection of other persons.

S.I. 96/1975.

Application for revocation. Form 9.

Counter-statement.

Evidence in support of application.

Evidence in support of patentee’s case and evidence in reply.

Further evidence.

Hearing.

Form 10.

Directions under section 24(5).

Form 11.

The applicant for revocation may, within three months from the receipt of the copy of the counter-statement, file evidence in support of his case and shall deliver to the patentee a copy of the evidence.
Within three months from the receipt of the copy of the evidence of the applicant for revocation or, if the applicant for revocation does not file any evidence, withinthree months from the expiration of the time within which such evidence might have been filed, the patentee may file evidence in support of his case and shall deliver to the applicant for revocation a copy of the evidence; and within three months from the receipt of the copy of the patentee’sevidence, the applicant for revocation may file evidence confined to matters strictly in reply and shall deliver to the patentee a copy of the evidence.
No further evidence shall be filed by either partyexcept by leave or direction of the Registrar General.
(1) On completion of the evidence (if any) or at such other times as he may see fit, the Registrar General shall appoint a time for the hearing of the case and shall give the parties at least 14 days notice of the appointment.

(2): If either party desires to be heard, he shall notify the Registrar General on Form No. 10 and the RegistrarGeneral may refuse to hear either party who has not filed the said form prior to the date of hearing.
(3): After hearing the party or parties desiring to beheard or, if neither party desires to be heard, then without a hearing, the Registrar General shall decide the case and notify his decision to the parties.

Directions to Co-owners

55. (1) An application for directions under section 24(5) by a co-grantee or co-proprietor of a patent shall bemade on Form No. 11 and shall be accompanied by a statement setting out fully the facts upon which the applicant relies and the directions which he seeks.

(2): A copy of the application and of the statement shall be sent by the Registrar General to each other person registered as grantee or proprietor of the patent and the applicant shall supply a sufficient number of copies for that purpose.
(3): Thereafter the Registrar General may give such directions as he may think fit with regard to the subsequent procedure.

56. (1) An application for directions under section 24(6) by a co-grantee or co-proprietor of a patent shall be made on Form No. 12, and shall be accompanied by a copy thereof, and a statement setting out fully the factsupon which the applicant relies, and the directions which he seeks.

(2): A copy of the application and of the statement shall be sent by the Registrar General to the person indefault.
(3): Thereafter the Registrar General may give such directions as he may think fit with regard to the subsequent procedure.

57. (1) Upon the making of an application for a patent, the Registrar General shall cause to be entered inthe register the name, address and nationality of the applicant, the title of the invention, the date of theapplication together with the address for service, and subsequently the date of issue of a patent upon the application.

(2) The Registrar General may at any time enter in the Register such other particulars as he may deem necessary.

PART III

DESIGNS

Deposit of Claims for Design Copyright

58. (1) A claim for design copyright in a design shallbe made on Form No. 13 and shall be signed by the person claiming to be proprietor thereof.

(2) If any document relating to a claim for design copyright is in a foreign language, it shall be accompanied by a translation thereof verified by affidavit or otherwise to the satisfaction of the Registrar General.

Directions under section 24(6).

Form 12.

Entry on

Claim for design copyright. Form 13.

Translation of documents.

Separate claims for each article in respect of features of shape or configuration.

Deposit of representations or specimens.

Representation requirements.

Drawings or tracings.

Words, letters or numerals.

Repeating patterns.

Royal and other arms, etc.

Where it is desired to claim design copyright forfeatures of shape or configuration in respect of more than one article, a separate claim shall be made in respect of each article.
There shall be deposited in connection with eachclaim for design copyright three identical representations ofthe design in a form satisfactory to the Registrar General orat the Registrar General’s option three specimens.
Each representation of the design shall be uponpaper of the size prescribed by rule 5 and not on cardboard, and shall appear on one side only of the paper. The figure or figures shall be placed in an upright position on thesheet. When more figures than one are shown, these shall where possible be on one and the same sheet, and each shall be designated perspective view, front view, side view, plan or otherwise as the case may be.
When the representations furnished are drawingsor tracings, they shall be in ink, and if on tracing cloth or tracing paper shall be mounted on paper of the size prescribed by rule 5.
Where words, letters or numerals appear in the design, the Registrar General may require the insertion in the claim for design copyright of a disclaimer of any right to their exclusive use.
Each representation of a design which consists ofa repeating surface pattern shall show the complete pattern and a sufficient portion of the repeat in length and width and shall not be of less size than 7 inches by 5 inches.
Where a portrait of Her Majesty or of anymember of the Royal Family or a reproduction of the armorial bearings, insignia, orders of chivalry, decorations or flags of any country, city, borough, town, place, society, body corporate, institution or person appears on a design,the Registrar General, before entering a claim for design copyright in respect thereof in the Deposit List, shall, if he so requires, be furnished with a consent to the use of such portrait or reproduction from such official or other person as appears to the Registrar General to be entitled to giveconsent, and in default of such consent he may refuse to enter the claim for design copyright in the Deposit List.
Where the name of portrait of a living person appears on a design, the Registrar General shall be furnished, if he so requires, with consent from such person before entering a claim for design copyright in respectthereof in the Deposit List. In the case of a person recently dead the Registrar General may call for consent from his personal representative before entering in the Deposit List aclaim for design copyright in a design on which the name orportrait of the deceased person appears.

Convention Claims

67. (1) A claim for design copyright made under section 65 shall contain a declaration that the applicationfor protection in a convention country upon which theapplicant relies is the first application made in a convention country in respect of the design whether by theapplicant or by any person of whom he claims to be the personal representative or assignee, and shall specify the convention country in which such foreign application was made, or is to be deemed under section 65(4) to have been made, the official date thereof and the number thereof.

(2) In addition to the representations or specimens deposited with every convention claim for design copyright, there shall be deposited with the claim or within three months thereafter, a copy of the representation of thedesign filed or deposited in respect of the first applicationfor protection in a convention country, duly certified by the official chief or head of the appropriate office of the convention country or otherwise verified to the satisfaction of the Registrar General.

Certificate of Deposit

68. The certificate of deposit of a claim for design copyright shall be in the Form C set out in Part II of the Second Schedule to these Rules and may be modified asdirected by the Registrar General.

Extension of Period of Design Copyright

69. An application for extension of the period ofdesign copyright for a further period of five years shall be made on Form No. 14.

Representations of living person or person recently dead.

Claims based on applications in convention country.

Certificate of

deposit. Form C. Second Schedule.

Extension.

Form 14.

Reminder.

Enlargement of time.

Form 15. Cancellation of deposit.

Form 16.

Registration of Assignments.

Form 17.

Registration of mortgages, licences.

Form 18.

Registration of other interests. Form 19.

Request for alteration.

Form 20.

At any time not less than one month before the date when any fee payable for an extension of the period ofdesign copyright will become due in respect of any design, the Registrar General shall send to the proprietor at hisaddress for a service a notice reminding him of the date when such fee will become due and of the consequences of non-payment thereof.
A request for an enlargement of time for paymentof any fee payable for an extension of the period of designcopyright shall be made on Form No. 15.
Where the proprietor of claim for design copyright in a design desires to cancel the deposit of his claim, he shall make the application on Form No. 16.

PART IV GENERAL RULES RELATING TO PATENTS AND DESIGNS

An application for the registration of the title ofany person becoming entitled by assignment transmission or operation of law to a patent or a share in a patent or to a claim for design copyright in a design or a share in such claim shall be made by the person becoming so entitled on Form No. 17.
An application for the registration of the title ofany person becoming entitled by virtue of a mortgage or licence to an interest in a patent or to an interest in a claim for design copyright in a design shall be made by the person becoming so entitled on Form No. 18.
Application may be made on Form No. 19 for entry in the Register or Deposit List respectively of anyother document purporting to affect the proprietorship ofa patent or a claim for design copyright.
(1) A request by a patentee or a proprietor of aclaim for design copyright for the alteration of name, nationality or address or address for service entered in the Register or the Deposit List in respect of a patent or a claim for design copyright shall be made on Form No. 20.

(2): Before acting on a request to alter a name or nationality the Registrar General may require such proof ofthe alteration as he may think fit.
(3): If the Registrar General is satisfied that the request may be allowed, he shall cause the Register ofPatents or the Deposit List, as the case may be, to be alteredaccordingly.

77. (1) An official or certified copy of a documentwhich is referred to in an application under Rule 73 or Rule 74 and is a matter of record in The Bahamas shall be produced to the Registrar General with the application.

(2) Unless the Registrar General otherwise directs,the original of any other document so referred to shall be produced to him with the application and a certified copy of any such document shall be filed.

78. Upon the issue of a certificate of payment underrule 30, the Registrar General shall enter in the Register of Patents the fact that the fee has been paid and the date of payment as stated on the certificate.

Correction of Clerical Errors

A request for the correction of a clerical error in an application for a patent or in any document filed in pursuance of such an application or in any patent or in theRegister of Patents or in any claim for design copyright or in any representation of a design or in the Deposit List ofDesigns shall be made on Form No. 21.
Where the Registrar General requires notice ofthe nature of the proposed correction to be advertised, the advertisement shall be made by publication of the request and the nature of the proposed correction in the journal and in such other manner (if any) as the Registrar General may direct.
(1) Any person may, at any time within one month from the date of the advertisement in the journal, give notice to the Registrar General of opposition to theproposed correction on Form No. 22.

(2) Such notice shall be accompanied by a copy thereof and shall be supported by a statement (induplicate) setting out fully the nature of the opponent’s interest, the facts on which he relies, and the relief which he seeks.

Documents to accompany applications under Rules 73,

74.

Payment of fees to be noted on Register.

Request for correction.

Form 21.

Advertisement.

Opposition.

Form 22.

Hearing.

Request for certificate.

Certified copies.

Form of affidavit.

Swearing of affidavit.

(3) A copy of the notice and of the statement shall be sent by the Registrar General to the person making therequest and thereafter the provisions of rules 49 to 54 shall apply.

82. Where in accordance with section 49 a hearing isappointed, at least fourteen days notice of the appointmentshall be given to the patentee or the applicant for a patent and to any other person to whom notice of the proposedcorrection has been given by the Registrar General.

Certificates

83. A request for a certificate of the Registrar Generalfor the purpose of Section 52(1) shall be made on Form No.

23.

84. Certified copies of an entry in the Register ofPatents or in the Deposit List or certified copies of or extracts from patents, specifications, claims for design copyright, and other public documents in the Departmentor of or from registers and other records kept there, may be furnished by the Registrar General on payment of the feesprescribed in the First Schedule to these Rules.

Evidence before Registrar General

85. (1) The affidavits required by these Rules or used inany proceedings thereunder shall be headed in the matter ormatters to which they relate, and shall be divided into paragraphs consecutively numbered, and each paragraph shall so faras possible be confined to one subject.

(2) Every affidavit shall state the description andtrue place of abode of the person making the same, and shall be written, typed, lithographed or printed.

86. The affidavits shall be made and subscribed as follows —

(a) In The Bahamas, before any justice of the peace,magistrate, notary public, the Registrar General or other officer by law authorised to administer an oath for the purposes of any legal proceeding;

(b) In the United Kingdom and other Realms and Territories of Her Majesty, before any court,judge, justice of the peace or any commissioneror other officer authorised by law to administer an oath for the purpose of any legal proceeding;
(c) If made out of Her Majesty’s Realms and Territories, before a British minister, or person exercising the functions of a British minister or a consul, vice-consul or other person exercising the functions of a British consul, or a notarypublic, or before a judge or magistrate.
87. Any document purporting to have affixed, impressed or subscribed thereto or thereon the seal orsignature of any person authorised by the last foregoing rule to take an affidavit, in testimony that the affidavit wasmade and subscribed before him, may be admitted by the Registrar General without proof of the genuineness of theseal or signature or of the official character of the person or his authority to take the affidavit.	Proof of attestation.
88. At any stage of any proceedings before the Registrar General, he may direct that such further documents, information or evidence as he may require shall be furnished within such period as he may fix.	Further documents, etc
Hours of Business and Excluded Days
89. (1) The following shall be excluded days forpurposes of the transaction by the public of business of all classes under the Act: all public holidays, all Saturdays and all Sundays.	Excluded days.
(2) Days which may, from time to time, be notifiedby a notice posted in a conspicuous place in the Departmentshall he excluded days for purposes of the transaction ofbusiness of all classes or such class or classes as may be specified in the notice.
90. The Department shall be deemed to be closed at4:30 p.m. for the filing of applications, forms and other documents and for all other business.	Closing time. S.I. 96/1975.
Applications to and Orders of Court
91. Where an application to the Court under section51 for rectification of the Register or the Deposit List has	Applications to Court.

Order of Court.

Discretion.

Power to cure irregularities.

Extension of time.

Power of dispensation.

been made, the applicant shall forthwith serve an office copy of the application on the Registrar General, who shall enter a notice of the application on the Register or Deposit List as the case may be.

92. Where any order has been made by the Court under the Act revoking a patent or cancelling the deposit of a claim for design copyright or allowing a patentee to mend his specification or affecting the validity or proprietorship of a patent or a claim for design copyright or any rights thereunder, the person in whose favour such order has been made shall file Form No. 24 accompanied by an office copy of such order and thereupon thespecification shall be amended or the Register or Deposit List rectified or altered as the case may be.

General

Except as otherwise provided in these Rulesbefore exercising any discretionary power given to him by the Act or these Rules adversely to any person, theRegistrar General shall give at least ten days’ notice to that person of the time when he may be heard.
Any document filed in any proceedings before the Registrar General may, if he thinks fit, be amended, and any irregularity in procedure may be rectified, on such terms as he may direct.
Except as otherwise provided by these Rules, thetimes prescribed by these Rules for doing any act, or taking any proceeding thereunder, may be extended by theRegistrar General if he thinks fit, upon such notice to theparties and upon such terms, as he may direct, and such extension may be granted although the time has expired for doing such act or taking such proceeding.
Where under the Rules any person is required to do any act or thing, or any document or evidence isrequired to be produced or filed, and it is shown to the satisfaction of the Registrar General that from anyreasonable cause that person is unable to do that act orthing or that that document or evidence cannot be produced or filed, the Registrar General may, upon the production of such evidence and subject to such terms as he thinks fit, dispense with the doing of any such act or thing, or the production or filing of such document or evidence.

FIRST SCHEDULE (Rule 3)
LIST OF FEES PAYABLE		S.I. 70/1983 S.I. 34/2003
		S.I. 54/2004
	Corre-
	sponding
$	Form

1.	On application for a patent.	90.00	1
2.	On examination pursuant to Section 10(1).	75.00
3.	On application for grant of patent of addition in lieu of an independent patent.	27.00	1 Add
4.	On request for the post-dating of an application under Section 10(6).	15.75	3
5.	On a request for the issue of a patent.	40.00	4
6.	On application for extension of the period for requesting the issue of a patent under Section 12(2):
	Not exceeding one month	10.75	5
	Not exceeding two months	22.50	5
	Not exceeding three months	33.75	5
7.	On application for certificate of payment of renewal fee:
	Before the expiration of the 4th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 5th year	50.00	6
	Before the expiration of the 5th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 6th year	60.00	6
	Before the expiration of the 6th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 7th year	80.00	6
	Before the expiration of the 7th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 8th year	90.00	6
	Before the expiration of the 8th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 9th year	100.00	6
	Before the expiration of the 9th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 10th year	120.00	6
	Before the expiration of the 10th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 11th year	140.00	6

Corre- sponding $ Form

Before the expiration of the 11th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 12th year 150.00 6

Before the expiration of the 12th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 13th year 160.00 6

Before the expiration of the 13th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 14th year 170.00 6

Before the expiration of the 14th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the 15th year 190.00 6

Before the expiration of the 15th year from the date of the patent and in respect of the remainder of the terms of the patent. 200.00 6

On extension of the period for payment of renewal fees:
Not exceeding one month 10.75 7 Not exceeding two months 22.50 7 Not exceeding three months 33.75 7 Not exceeding four months 45.00 7 Not exceeding five months 56.25 7 Not exceeding six months 67.50 7

Certificate of Payment of Renewal Fee. — 8
On application for revocation of a patent under Section 23. 15.75 9
On hearing by Registrar-General by each party. 10.75 10
On application under Section 24(5) for directions of Registrar-General. 27.00 11
On application under Section 24(6) for directions of Registrar-General. 27.00 12
On deposit of claim for Design Copyright per article. 14.00 13
On application for extension of copyright under Section 36(2) for second period. 27.00 14

Corre- sponding $ Form

On application for extension of copyrightunder Section 36(2) for third period. 45.00 14

On request for enlargement of time for payment of fee for extension of copyright: Not exceeding one month 2.25 15 Not exceeding two months 4.50 15 Not exceeding three months 6.75 15 Not exceeding four months 9.00 15
Not exceeding five months 13.50 15 Not exceeding six months. 18.00 15

On application by proprietor for cancellation of design of claim for design copyright. 1.50 16
On application for entry of name of subsequent proprietor in the Register or Deposit List if made within six months from date of acquisition of proprietorship: 6.00 17

If made after expiration of six months but within twelve months from the date of acquisition of proprietorship. 13.50 17

If made after the expiration of twelve months from date of acquisitionof proprietorship. 15.75 17

On each application covering morethan one patent or claim for designcopyright the devolution of title beingthe same as in the first. For each additional patent or claim for design copyright. 0.75 17

20. On application for entry of notice of a mortgage or licence in the Register or Deposit List if made within six monthsfrom date of acquisition of interest, or in the case of a patent, the sealing of the patent (whichever is the later). 6.00 18

If made after expiration of six months but within twelve months from date of acquisition of interest or, in thecase of a patent, the sealing of the patent(whichever is the later). 13.50 18

Corre- sponding $ Form

If made after expiration of twelve months from the date of acquisition of interest or, in the case of a patent, of the sealing of the patent (whichever is the later). 15.75 18

On each application concerning more than one patent or claim for design copyright the devolution of title being the same as in the first. For each additional patent or claim for design copyright. 0.75 18

21. On application for entry of notification of a document in the Register or Deposit List if made within six months from the date of document, or, in the case of a patent, the sealing of the patent (whichever is the later). 6.00 19

If made after expiration of six months but within twelve months from date of document or, in the case of a patent, the sealing of the patent (whichever is the later). 13.50 19

If made after expiration of twelve months from date of document or, in the case of a patent, the sealing of the patent (whichever is the later). 15.75 19

On each application covering more than one patent or claim for design copyright, for each additional patent or claim for design copyright referred to in the same document as the first patent or claim for design copyright. 0.75 19

For altering name or nationality or address or address for service in Register or Deposit List. For each patent or claim for design copyright. 4.50

23.: On request to Registrar General to correct a clerical error. 6.00

Industrial Property Rules, 2004 (S.I No. 54 of 2004), Bahamas

Available Materials

CHAPTER 324

INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY RULES

PART I PRELIMINARY

DESIGNS

PART IV GENERAL RULES RELATING TO PATENTS AND DESIGNS

FORM 1

FORM 1 Add

FORM 2

FORM A

FORM C