How to protect an idea?
 

I have a very simple product idea but do not know how to protect it from being stolen when I have it made. Do I just not tell the fab shop what it is for. My grand father was the one that made the drum assembly clamps and a guy at the music store called Ludwig and sold it from under him. He was very pissed.

We have discussed the merits of patents vs trade secrets a number of times on this BBs.

In general, the first step is to do a patent search go to United States Patent and Trademark Office and do a quick search for any existing patents in the us. If you want to patent in Canada too, search at the cipo website too.

A patent is NOTHING MORE than a costly license to sue anyone who copies your invention.

Perhaps you'd be better off having a few machine shops make individual components for what you want to do. I'd still suggest you get anyone including the machine shops sign an NDA so if they decide to copy, you have legal recourse.

Good luck.

Start with a patent application although it will be useless unless you file worldwide which is $$$$$ and even then the chinese don't care.

Or you could ask Tim Hancock to help with the initial samples.

Never met him in person but I would have no reservations whatsoever in trusting him.

And although we disagree on certain issues I also think glen, island911, is an honorable man who might be able to help or offer advice.

And seahawk, I think he holds a couple of patents. Another handshake guy.

Good luck.

Thanks.

Tell us all your secret and we'll protect it for you!

Shoot me a PM...don't need to know what it is, just what general area it is in, that drives the approach.

Thanks SM.

The other approach is to make them, sell as many as possible before the knock-offs can get to market and take what $ you can get as early as possible.

A good friend of mine is a talented IP attorney. There are several steps, the best costs the most. If this is a good idea, seek legal assistance. OTOH, when I was in manufacturing, I had someone once per month or more with the best idea in the world come see me. They all sucked. The only one that took off was the Bowflex. I will not publish my opinion on that, but they sure sold!

Larry

Unless you have to millions to fight lawyers over the Idea, a patent is a damn hard thing to uphold.

Look at the guy that invented the intermittent windshield wiper. It cost him his family and 15 years or so of his life to beat FORD

Now there's some pretty well written patents out there. The one that springs to mind is in bicycle suspension. There's this guy Dave Weagle that got a patent on where the pivot points mount to the bicycle frame. If you set up pivots within this boxed in area it violates his patent!

How much potential income can you make from this Idea? will the cost of the patent be a drop in the bucket? Do you have the means and the temperment to fight?


I have an idea that would sell in the medical industry. I'm A. not a DOCTOR B. Not a medical device company.

I feel that my idea would lower patient stress while setting broken bones. This Idea came to mind 12 years ago when one of my sons broke his arm.
Hospitals are frugal. unless it saves them $$$ they most likely won't buy equipment to replace the still working asset that they bought and have paid for back in 1984.

Last week another son broke his clavicle. I saw the same device that was used on my son 12 years prior.

By the way if there's someone on board that would like to talk about the idea PM me! it's not doing any good sitting in my head.

write up the idea
get it notarized
and mail the paper to yourself by registered mail
leave sealed until needed

then get a patent application
and jump thru the burrorats hoops

a bone doc might be a good partner/ funder

that's the "Poor-Boy Patent!"

This is how I protect my ideas:

http://www.stevenhumour.com/wp-conte...ondom-head.jpg

Is that you? Would that cure tinitus? roflol.... :D:D:D

No. Not me. Just a picture from the Internet.

so it wont stop the ringing in my ears?

if it is just an idea, then you cannot patent it