open87

iTrader: (2)

i have a product to bring to the retail market ,i need to get a patent # and trademark. how much of the pita is this process??? any info is greatly appreciated.

will have a OSO discount for members when products are manufactured.

Semper Fi

Don't know, be careful of people trying to steal your idea. best of luck to you.

Ron P

Design patent or utility patent? Design patents are less expensive and only have to do with the shape of something, not the functionality.

A Utility patent is far more valuable, can take a year or two to get and will cost about 10k once the lawyers get done with you.

Sometimes speed to market is far more important than a patent.

masher44

Yup... I have done a design patent and I shopped around... about 10K total from those invention companies and you can do it for about 4 or 5 K from a decent patent attorney. I got about halfway through the process and my EXACT product was patented about 1 month before I was to be done. I would go through a patent attorney. The Invention Companies are not so great. They are interested in "selling" you the 10K packages. They do provide marketing though so it depends on what product you have and what kind of time you have to market it or promote it.

happy hours

I also believe you can get a provisional patent for under a grand. It lasts a year and puts it on record. You basically lock it up for a year and it allows to feel out the market. At the end of the year it goes away like it never happened but it sometimes it a good thing to test the marketability of something. You still have to do the official patent. Like everyone said, use a patent attorney the idea places are crap. If you have the ability to make your own sketch's/drawings and write up it will save you $$ as well. Sure the attorney can do it for you, but at his/her rate. I have never actually done it but checked into pretty throughly for an idea I have. I have a good friend that has several and I can get more info from him if you have any specific questions.

dhlaw

I just bought the trademark to the name "Apache" from Cashbrain05 for $30..... I thought it was a good deal.

Lofty

I've done dozens of patents and Masher is correct. They run about 10-15k. Go get a good patent attorney and have fun. You should do a patent search yourself before you invest any money with a lawyer. Also remember, a patent must still be ENFORCED to be any good to you. Also you might want to look into an international patent as well. This will cost you more money. Most companies do patents because what they are selling is IP (intellectual properties) not an actual product. Many companies sell IP rights to generate income.

open87

iTrader: (2)

it's a design patent. i came up with this and told myself that this is one of those "if i'd thought of that" ideas. so i'm going with it. i need to do cad on it so the dimensions will be exact. then i need to have the plug done on a cnc machine. that's really the next steps.

i'm affraid that if i collaborate with others without a patent they will steal the design and concept. it's off the hook!

sooo i need to protect my interest's.

ron p - speed to market - i will need the cad and cnc work done first. then parts manufacture . this is a rather large item for consumers , not a small shelf item that i can bulk manufacture and flood the market. also has the option of upgrade and colors. will have a original (base model) or the luxury / baller model (top of the line). it will be focused on the boat industry , auto enthusiast , industrial , as well as the general public. the luxury/ baller will be targeted to the hp boater to musical performers, etc where the $$$ is no concern - the " i gotta have it market ".


mneal - the provisional patent , i didn't see that on the web site. will it take more than a year to patent and trademark? while i have the provisional patent? is this the term for "patent pending?" i'm not going to go to a "idea" place. the item will sell itself, but once it's on the market ,someone will try and copy , hence why i need to cover my arse and get the patent .

i know that when i release this to the public people will say " why didn't i think of that" i will be able to say "i did". this is big .

open87

iTrader: (2)

lofty - what do you mean by "enforced" ? the patent office ? and for international patent , where would i look for that ? how do the selling of IP's work? this is someting that could only come from my brain storming , i fell very confident that this is the first idea that has not been built , or thought of. i have searched hi and low on the www and can't find anything that even comes close to this design. it's "new".

boostbros

Enforced means you have to take the offender to court and prove its your patent large companys can squash the little guy this way as it can take many years and lots of bling to prove..... most little guys give up or run out of money.......and before you get to excited you would be amazed at how many things have been patented and are not produced often many years before your idea! good luck....a patent here in the usa does not stop someone from overseas from producing it!