Reply With Quotethere is a patent search from google. http://www.google.com/patents
here is a website with some patent info.. not sure how current it is. good luck
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/patent_cost.html
Hope someone can fill me in on patents. I am developing a product for Quads and think that I need to patent it so that the big dogs cant run me out of business before I even get started.
How involved is the process, how long and of course how much $$$$$ are we talkin?
bundy
there is a patent search from google. http://www.google.com/patents
here is a website with some patent info.. not sure how current it is. good luck
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/patent_cost.html
Be ready to spend $8,000 plus.File for a patent pending ,it's good for a year .
fees are under $1.000.
Use an attorney! PERIOD!!
If you don't know much about patents or patent laws you will be waisting time and money by trying to get a patent yourself. If you succeed in getting your patent on your own it will probably be worthless.
Hope someone can fill me in on patents. I am developing a product for Quads and think that I need to patent it so that the big dogs cant run me out of business before I even get started.
How involved is the process, how long and of course how much $$$$$ are we talkin?
bundy
I hold a patent on a product in the motorcycle arena. I went to the effort to get one. I did it myself. I would get your numbers on what it would take to build your product.
Is there enough room to make money?? Your biggest cost and challenge will be the distribution of your product.
I would not get a patent on your product.... I would build the product with patent pending. A patent will not make you any money...
Make your money as soon as you can. Even if you have a Patent someone will find a way to make it different enough not to be the same as yours.
Put your time and effort into the numbers $$$$$ Do you truly have a product that people want. Can you make enough money $$$$$ For example if you can build it for a dollar and sell ten dollars. Is there enough difference to make money. Maybe you need to sell for 20 dollars to make any money.
Distribution will cost you a ton. Manufacturing will cost you a ton.
I know the feeling of not wanting anyone take your idea and beat you out of it.
Good Luck !
Patents can be worthless in alot of cases.. I think if you have a very unique product or design then its worth it. At that point get an attorney.
Patents are a good way for a lawyer to make alot of money off you, unless your design is something that can't be modified to work around your patent, and you are looking at something that you will go into full production on making thousands of parts you will just be wasting your money. I've never had a patent but personally know a couple of guys that have them and ended up costing them more than they were worth.
This is a very rare case but:
A good example of a product that no one has been able to copy because it is not patented is the Fisher Space Pen, Mr. Fisher never patented it because he didnt want to devulge the secrets of manufacturing the special serrated ball point and nub, not to mention his ink formulas, he has been patent free for 40 years and no one has been able to recreate his writing instrument yet.
I hold a patent on a product in the motorcycle arena. I went to the effort to get one. I did it myself. I would get your numbers on what it would take to build your product.
Is there enough room to make money?? Your biggest cost and challenge will be the distribution of your product.
I would not get a patent on your product.... I would build the product with patent pending. A patent will not make you any money...
Make your money as soon as you can. Even if you have a Patent someone will find a way to make it different enough not to be the same as yours.
Put your time and effort into the numbers $$$$$ Do you truly have a product that people want. Can you make enough money $$$$$ For example if you can build it for a dollar and sell ten dollars. Is there enough difference to make money. Maybe you need to sell for 20 dollars to make any money.
Distribution will cost you a ton. Manufacturing will cost you a ton.
I know the feeling of not wanting anyone take your idea and beat you out of it.
Good Luck !
SB, your dead right
My previous electronics career of 20yrs saw me dealing with many a Patent Attorney for all kinds of products.
plane and simple, file for the patent, MFG under Patent Pending, be the first to market to establish your name as the standard, make your money as quick as you can, let the product pay for the patent, you can always go back and file for patent infringement once your patent is complete if some one directly copies it.
in the meantime....mail yourself a set of plans for your product....and do not open the letter when it arrives....the post office date stamp on the letter will help serve as a patent when the letter is opened in court....it is referred to as a poor mans patent
Patents also suck for situations where you developed the method of manufacture because when you get the patent then anyone can look at it and instantly know how to build it.
Talk to an attorney.
I agree with the stuff said above, and BTW the Japanese will rip you off within 24 hours, so you might need a patent in Japan as well. Now the Chinese are ripping off the Japs.
Posting Permissions