patenting something

[misfish]

Now that I have my pc back up to par,I can ask this question,as I have been waiting to ask.

 

I have been on line and trying to find out the easiest way to do this. I found this one site for a free patent package,but not sure about that.

 

What I have come up with is nothing real super great,but I think it might be something I could sell to other companies in the fishing world.

 

Still working on tweeking it a bit, but I think it could sell. It,s improving something thats already out there,but making it easy for the user to use, and use their own supply of tool,instead of being robbed into buying another something to make it work. JMO here of course. And no Im not posting any pics here.

 

 

So your advice on this please. How do I go about it with out costing me a whole bunch of cash?

 

 

 

 

And Irish,it,s not from the scrap bin. .

[captpierre]

I would talk to a Patent Lawyer if you really mean business

[misfish]

I should of said,sell the patent to other companies or company..

 

Im very serious about this. I just need to have a few anglers (that can be trusted ) to use it and not say they come up with it.

 

That didnt mean to come out harsh. I will be trying it first myself. And when I feel it,s ready and works well,then I will get a few to try it.

Edited November 26, 2014 by Brian B

[manitoubass2]

I should of said,sell the patent to other companies or company..

still get a lawyer.

 

or get on dragons den and make us all proud??

[Terry]

it can be very

very expensive

before you even get close to holding the patent

 

but I would be one of the testers if you want

 

 

 

 

I'm hoping it's a motorized smitty

 

lol

[Canuck2fan]

This is what I learnt listening to a call in show a few years back featuring a club of inventors from Hamilton..

 

Patents don't work the way people think. When you patent something you have to PROVIDE exact specs and plans for said item... So any potential competition with money can look at what you have change one rivet hole and start producing virtually the same item, if they have deeper pockets they can bury you in legal fees. Remember in the 70's every time Ktel came out with an item, Ronco had a cheaper version about 2 weeks later, or vice versa. One of the guys claimed it was because all they had to do was go to the patent office and get the specs, change one little thing and pay the same factory to make it their way LOL.

 

They recommended COPYRIGHTING your inventions. It is supposedly much, much easier to go after anyone who copies what you have copyrighted and get money for the infringement of your copyright, than it is to sue for patent infringement.

 

I don't know if it is true, but they did have about 20 people call in and say they had patented stuff and it was being copied and they found out it was just too expensive to fight legally.

 

If the end game is to sell the idea to companies then seeing the right kind of lawyer should give you an idea of how to get royalties if you sell the idea to companies, who will make the item. Don't expect it to be cheap though, a friend who licensed a company to produce his BBQ sauce spent 22K on legal fees so that the company couldn't re-engineer his recipe and undercut him with their own version. 18yrs down the road they still haven't dared to try squeezing him out, with a similar product, so that 22K was well spent. But that was a lot of money for 30 pages of paper back in mid 90's

Edited November 26, 2014 by Canuck2fan

[irishfield]

What do you think you can make in the long run Brian.... Kristal's pelvic exoskeleton was $3500 up front... they burned thru that at $400 to $500 an hour just to do the title search for anything existing on file.... and then asked for another $12,500 up front to TRY to get a patent.

Edited November 26, 2014 by irishfield

[Muskieman]

Poor mans patent is still legal I beleive , mail the original everything back to yourself and don't open the package .. Don't go to ISC , invention submission corporation , they've stolen from me before , I had absolutely no proof , that's when I was advised of the PMP . This was in the late 80's .

Good luck !

RFS

[irishfield]

Yah... that still secures your intent Randy.. and time dates it in case someone tries to screw you while in process. But still won't give you any patent rights..

[misfish]

Man,you guys sure know how to deflate a guys balloon.LOL

 

That kinda cash I dont have.

 

I do see me trying it out and others. If it works and others seem to think it,s worth going to a lawyer and seeing whats what,I would be in to that.

 

Like I said,it,s nothing spectacular,but it is something that would make something easier to do.

[manitoubass2]

if it heats ice fishing guides please move forward lol

[crappieperchhunter]

 

Like I said,it,s nothing spectacular,but it is something that would make something easier to do.

You're not stealing my top secret 4 ply self wiping toilet paper idea are you Brian?

[Terry]

oh oh

 

a heated toilet seat that automatically goes back down to keep the females happy

 

I'll take 3

 

lol

[woodenboater]

repeating the lawyer comment as they will research whether or not your idea is new and patentable. patents are hard to get from what I understand and why so many products are likely 'patent pending'. I'm not a lawyer so this may all be worth the price of paper its printed on

[Rustic-Fisher]

Hey Brian,

One guy I would track down and ask is Lou, the old owner of Simcoe Bait and Tackle.

He's run the gauntlet in regards to patents for his Bad Boyz jigs.

R

[BillM]

if it heats ice fishing guides please move forward lol

 

Don't you dare steal my idea! LOL!

[manitoubass2]

 

Don't you dare steal my idea! LOL!

meh, you have a patent or a copyright?

 

lol

[cuzza]

For the testers, a simple non disclosure agreement should cover you and you can find standard ones online where you fill in the blanks about whatever the item in question is.

 

It's easy to get wrapped up in this sort of thing, so make sure you run the idea past some friends who will tell you if you're wasting your time and not just tell you what you want to hear.

 

If it's one of those toilet seats Terry mentioned, I'm in for three as well!

[Big Cliff]

When lead shot was first banned for water fowl hunting I was asked if I could design a piece of equipment to tell if a shot gun shell had lead in it or not. It had to be small, simple to operate, and non destructive.

 

The deal was simple, if I could design it I would be a full partner in the company that produced it, it was all done on a hand shake, I always did business on a hand shake, my word was good, I just expected everyone elses was too,

 

Well, I did design it and it worked (and is still being used today). Then I found out that my supposed partner had pattented it in his own name both in Canada and in the US. It was going to cost me $15,000.00 just to start to try to fight the pattent and $50,000.00 was being mentioned a lot. I didn't have that kind of money so I had to walk away.

 

I think the idea of getting your product copywrite protected might be the best idea. I would also be willing to be a tester and witness with no expectation of any financial gain. I do think a letter of non disclosure though is also a good idea for anyone you do get involved.

 

Good luck my friend, some of the best ideas and products come from people just trying to find a better way, some are flops, some make fortunes!

[BillM]

meh, you have a patent or a copyright?

 

lol

 

uh... yes, yes I do, lol!

[Sinker]

When lead shot was first banned for water fowl hunting I was asked if I could design a piece of equipment to tell if a shot gun shell had lead in it or not. It had to be small, simple to operate, and non destructive.

 

The deal was simple, if I could design it I would be a full partner in the company that produced it, it was all done on a hand shake, I always did business on a hand shake, my word was good, I just expected everyone elses was too,

 

Well, I did design it and it worked (and is still being used today). Then I found out that my supposed partner had pattented it in his own name both in Canada and in the US. It was going to cost me $15,000.00 just to start to try to fight the pattent and $50,000.00 was being mentioned a lot. I didn't have that kind of money so I had to walk away.

 

I think the idea of getting your product copywrite protected might be the best idea. I would also be willing to be a tester and witness with no expectation of any financial gain. I do think a letter of non disclosure though is also a good idea for anyone you do get involved.

 

Good luck my friend, some of the best ideas and products come from people just trying to find a better way, some are flops, some make fortunes!

You invented a magnet?

[Big Cliff]

Wasn't quite that simple LOL. The shot can/could be anything as long as it wasn't lead. Steel was only one of the possible alternatives!

[manitoubass2]

billm its funny, im pretty sure we had a discussion on here years ago about guides that wouldnt freeze and it was a pretty long thread lol.

 

somebody has to figure it out and it will just be something real easy too haha

[Beans]

Maybe the testers or others would invest in your idea as partners or shareholders to help defray the costs of copywriting or patenting ...

[adempsey]

As mentioned, getting a patent can be very expensive. Even if you did get one and someone copies it, taking them to court is even more expensive and not even an option unless you're a fairly large company. Sure, you can mail something to yourself or get it notorized to prove prior art, but again, I'd imagine you'd have to go to hire a lawyer to pursue a case.

 

However, there are multiple stages to patenting something. I believe submitting a patent isn't that expensive. I always imagined that is why you see so many "patent pending" statements on things.

 

You might be better off trademarking a name and developing a brand. Then sell that.