• To revive an abandoned application for a design application or for a utility or plant application filed before June 8, 1995, the applicant must disclaim a period equal to the duration of abandonment. A terminal disclaimer may also be required in an application for an obvious variation on an existing patent: to avoid a double-patenting rejection, the inventor agrees that both patents will expire on the same day. [Cases: Patents 131. C.J.S. Patents § 236.]
terminal disclaimer
Patents. A patent applicant’s statement shortening the term of the patent.
