What's invovled in getting a Patent???

[EddieWalker]

What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

I've been working on an idea I have. My model works better than I'd hoped and now I'm going to build it for real and start testing it.

I'm wondering what's invovled with getting a Patent.

Has anybody done this?? Can you do it yourself?? Is there a good book on it that somebody can recomend??

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[have_blue]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

Eddie,

If you haven't already, search exhaustively for any similar device. There are innumerable patents that have never been produced.

I think you can do it yourself, but I'm guessing the patent office would rather talk to anyone but patent attorney's they know. An attorney will know the shortcuts and possibly move things along more quickly.

Time is of the essence. Even if your invention is not finished or the research not complete, get your patent pending ASAP. The date will give you some protection.

Good luck!

 

[LarryRB]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

my father in law has several patents on wrecker equipment that was specifically designed to tow the large busses... Getting patents is not hard. Once designed, tested, proven safe, it is best to have your attorney be invovlved. Not much paper work and all can be done at home.. Problem is, those ads you read in magazines, "we'll help get your patent", STAY AWAY from.. It is a money rip off and there are many cases pending where these supposed patent helpers have actually made a minor modification, then got a patent for themselves leaving you out in the cold.

 

[RonR]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

Eddie,

I don't have direct experience getting a patient, but my perception is it takes a lot of time and money. And for you to make any $$$ from it, you have to either build the product, market it, and sell it OR try to find someone to buy the patented idea from you.

Typically, I think they can see your idea, decide to "improve" it enough to skirt any patent issues, and produce it themselves; and you get nothing.

Some (I used to work for an ag mfg) mfgers would almost copy another production machine, pay nothing, and sell an almost identical twin of your product. You can do nothing or sue. Sue and it costs MORE, and it drags out forever. I have seen it drag out long enough on one product, that when our company FINALLY won the infringement suit, the other one agreed to stop production of his product. By that time, the market was saturated and they were ready to leave the market anyway. So who won on that deal? Certainly not my company.

The other thing I saw multiple times (I worked in Eng) were "inventors" and farmers with ideas come visit Eng with sketches and wooden models of equipment ideas they had. I don't know how they worked the legal stuff, but they came in and talked with our Engs and tried to get us to buy their ideas.

If we did buy, they either got a cash payment or a set $$ for each unit we built. We stood the cost to develop the idea, patent, market, produce, sell, and defend the patent if necessary.

I think you need to decide which is important to you: Patent or $$$$. Depending on your answer determines your approach.

Ron

 

[RalphVa]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

Ask around for a good patent lawyer. They'll know the ropes and language to use.

It's A LOT of work to figure out how to get around the patent office's objections. Best to research what's out there to figure out how best to help your lawyer in wording your patent language in your first submission.

I've 2 patent plaques hanging on my wall. Got a 3rd that I can't seem to find anywhere. On those, I got them with a lot of work AND the help of our company patent attorneys.

Ralph

 

[Bird]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Problem is, those ads you read in magazines, "we'll help get your patent", STAY AWAY from.. It is a money rip off )</font>

Many years ago, my Dad got scammed by one of those. I don't know whether there are any who actually do what they say or not.

 

[RobJ]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

Ok well you have your answer but I'll ask the real question. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

In "general" what does this thing do? IE "Cuts Wood". General enough to know what's going on but have no clue of it's design features. Give us a hint!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[RonR]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

The patent I'd like to see is a button on the dash of my BX that allows it to morph into a 66HP utility tractor that doubles in size of the BX footprint.

Of course, I also want it to be a $100 option when purchasing new.

Ron

 

[JerryG]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

Eddie,
wroughtn_harv aka Harvey Lacey got a patent on his building system a while back or I should say that I think that he did. PM or e-mail him. His real e-mail is on his site.

 

[PBinWA]

Re: What\'s invovled in getting a Patent???

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
The other thing I saw multiple times (I worked in Eng) were "inventors" and farmers with ideas come visit Eng with sketches and wooden models of equipment ideas they had. I don't know how they worked the legal stuff, but they came in and talked with our Engs and tried to get us to buy their ideas.

If we did buy, they either got a cash payment or a set $$ for each unit we built. We stood the cost to develop the idea, patent, market, produce, sell, and defend the patent if necessary.

)</font>

I think you also need to get some form of non-disclosure agreement prepared and signed by anyone you show this to.
It's one extra layer of protection in what could be years of legal battles.

Talk to a lawyer first about what you can do to protect your idea. Don't even show the invention to the lawyer until he too has signed an agreement. I would suspect that a reasonable non-disclosure type agreement wouldn't cost too much too produce.

Of course, all this is over kill if yor idea isn't unique. Spend some time with google and see what else is out there.