Legal Definitions - dependent claim

A dependent claim is a type of patent claim that refers to and further limits another claim or set of claims in the same patent application. It is also known as an appendant claim.

For example, if a patent application has a broad independent claim for a new type of car engine, a dependent claim could further limit the engine to only use a specific type of fuel injection system. This means that the dependent claim can only be valid if the independent claim is also valid.

Another example of a dependent claim could be in a chemical patent, where the independent claim describes a new chemical compound, and the dependent claim further limits the compound to a specific method of production.

Dependent claims are important because they help to clarify and narrow the scope of the invention being claimed in the patent application. They also provide additional protection for the inventor by making it more difficult for others to design around the patent.