Invention

[burnteclipse]

Ok so you have an invention that you think is something that is acutally worth looking into. Whats the next step? Just for the sake of knowing. You see all these commericals of invent help and stuff like that but when you acutally look into it of the 6000 some clients they have agreements with only like 12 have actually made more money then they gave the company, so to me I would say thats not good odds. What is the way to go about taking an idea and trying to make it an actaul product, and not have thousands to invest in it? Anyone actually tried this?

[MisterCMK]

Patent the invention, then talk to manufacturers and see if they would be interested in producting your product. Buy, make sure you patent it first.

[burnteclipse]

Ya for sure get a patent whats the process? Patent office in FM area? How much for a patent?

[HandoEX]

www.uspto.gov should lead you in the right direction.

[SmitEvo]

I will tell you how to patent something for 500 dollars........

[24valvenotak]

patent it. wait for the patent. if you can help it dont go to someone with an idea that is "patent pending." if someone hears about it and has more money then you, his patent WILL go through before yours..

[ichibankilla]

The patent office is picky as hell too. You gotta have nice clean precise drawings and a write up of what your invention does. Even then they have decide whether or not it's worth while an invention to get a patent. I think it's a bit spendy also, further down the road you have to renew your patent like you would your drivers license or somebody else can take it.
I remember watching a show on the whole process quite a while back, don't quote me on any of this though, I think this pretty much what to expect though.

[BlueSRT0483]

I thought once you own a patent, it expires after like 10 years for anyone to use.. I could be wrong.. didn't know about the renewal part

[jake]

Patents aren't cheap. They're a pain in the butt too.

Mike Neustel runs a patent office here in town. Here's his websites: http://www.patent-ideas.com/ and www.neustel.com

It never hurts to ask for advice, and this guy really knows his stuff.

Good luck!

[StangerBanger96]

yeah I believe patents are $2000 or more and quite a pain to get. They are either like 7/10/20 years long too as someone said.

[lord_deastofact]

yeah definatly patent it and wait for that to clear before you really tell anyone, just to be safe. and I believe after your patent expires you can renew it... but I'm not really sure about that. though getting a patent is the only way you have legal protection against replication of your idea. good luck! hopefully you strike it rich!

[jake]

One thing you should do is keep a journal of your ideas/concepts/sketches. Get a journal with pages that are bound and numbered, so that you can't add or take out pages in it. Date every page and write in ink. Cross out mistakes with a single strikethrough, and initial and date all errors.

If you have this journal and it is kept well, it can be used as a legal document. It can only help you in the long run.

Jake

[Guest]

another good idea is to write your ideas on paper (making copies of course) and then putting them in an envelop and sealing it with a tamper proof seal and mailing it to yourself certified mail. You will then have a legal record of having sent that package on a certain date. Just don't break the seal until you need to as proof of your ideas date (courtroom in front of judge w/ lawyer present)

[ichibankilla]

A853 wrote:
I thought once you own a patent, it expires after like 10 years for anyone to use.. I could be wrong.. didn't know about the renewal part

That's what I meant about the renewal part, should have been a little more specific.

I probably wouldn't hurt to scan any ideas onto your computer and burn them onto a disc and put it away for safe keeping, maybe in a safedeposit box, a fireproof home safe or just somplace nobody but you will know where it is. Then of coarse delete it from your computer after burning.

[Parker]

also dont trust anyone...... dont show anyone you dont know very well you idea..... better yet, just dont show it at all..... i have had my share of people stealing ideas from us..... dont trust anyone...