35 USC § 117 - Death or incapacity of inventor

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t35/s117"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "35 USC § 117 - Death or incapacity of inventor"
title_number: 35
title_name: "PATENTS"
section_number: "117"
section_name: "Death or incapacity of inventor"
chapter_number: 11
chapter_name: "APPLICATION FOR PATENT"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS AND GRANT OF PATENTS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-12-12"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 799.)"
---


# § 117. Death or incapacity of inventor

Legal representatives of deceased inventors and of those under legal incapacity may make application for patent upon compliance with the requirements and on the same terms and conditions applicable to the inventor.

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**Source Credit**: (July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 799.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 46 (R.S. 4896, amended (1) , , (2) , , 1226, (3) , ).

The language has been considerably simplified.