# Divisional

A patent application split off from a parent application because the USPTO determined the parent contained claims to more than one distinct invention. When an examiner issues a "restriction requirement," the applicant must elect one group of claims to pursue in the parent; the rest can be filed as a divisional. Divisionals get the parent's original filing date.

**Full entry:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary/divisional

**All patent terms:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. A plain-English glossary of US patent terms._