I am very interested in this idea of taking your concepts and making them up and getting them patented. I have had the scenario that you described above play out quite a few times and I wish I knew more about how to protect my ideas.
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Anyone here ever get a patent?
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Heck, as a kid I built a pressure switch and LEDs into an old pair of sneakers... worked just fine. About seven years later, all the kids had them.
Now I'm a honest to goodness engineer. I worked in product development and R&D for about four years. Since then I've gone to modeling for aircraft/flight structures- lots of 3D computer models and analysis.
From my limited research in the past, a "poor man's patent" won't do you very much good at all. I suppose it's something, but a notarized and dated document is about the same thing.
I don't mind helping if I can. I've designed machines before and have a pretty good working knowledge of how to make things work. Also a good bit of experience with how to make things cost effective- like weldmets vs. a machined billet.
Now I'm a honest to goodness engineer. I worked in product development and R&D for about four years. Since then I've gone to modeling for aircraft/flight structures- lots of 3D computer models and analysis.
From my limited research in the past, a "poor man's patent" won't do you very much good at all. I suppose it's something, but a notarized and dated document is about the same thing.
I don't mind helping if I can. I've designed machines before and have a pretty good working knowledge of how to make things work. Also a good bit of experience with how to make things cost effective- like weldmets vs. a machined billet.
Im looking at a few different ideal. One would require aluminum components and another I am thinking tungsten with a possible titanium variant. The parts of one would need to be well made but the other would have to be fabricated EXACTLY to precise specifications. Still working out some mechanical details but the concepts are both simple and functional. I'm setting up a small business account for tax purposes, then I will be ordering my CAD software. I looked at the freeware but I have 2 reservations. First I'm not sure it would be up to the technical requirements and second I think it "shares" your work. I'd rather pony up 40 bucks and have my own software that I can isolate on a hard drive.
Before going through all that work, you may want to have a firm do a patent search for you. It's kind of like a trademark - people build their business and brand locally, and then the business gets big and they decide it's time to trademark their business name... only to find someone else already has the rights to the same or very similar trademarked name. Then you're SOL if you don't have the money to engage in a legal battle.
Companies have patents on products for years before they ever hit a production pipeline.
You can even do some of the patent search work yourself.
Companies have patents on products for years before they ever hit a production pipeline.
You can even do some of the patent search work yourself.
