I have an invention I want to take further?

Question

How do I go about getting a prototype made up and finding someone to take this idea further? The invention is a new take on an essential garden product.

Answer 1

If you have an invention, here are some steps you need to take:

1. Consult a patent lawyer and check if your idea can be patented.
2. Keep extensive records tracking the development of your idea.
3. Conduct an extensive research to find out if there are similar patents.
4. Document where, how and to whom you showed your idea.
5. Do your own market research if your idea is marketable
6. Explore the possibility of developing the product yourself, or licensing someone else to make the product for you.

There are companies out there who helps inventors develop their products. One of them that I've dealt with is Big Idea Group http://www.bigideagroup.net/submittingideas.html

To bring your idea to market, here are some tips

Getting Started:

- The Ideabook = Keep a bound ideabook of your invention idea. Date your entries.
- Get it Notarized = get it officially confirmed that you conceived your invention idea on a particular date, and have your notes notarized.
- Seek and Search = Do your own patent search to ascertain if your invention is original and prospectively patentable.
- Create the Initial Prototype = Use simple materials to rig it up, to see if it works.
- Get Educated = Educate yourself on the inventing process. Go to a bookstore or inventorhelp.com and review the plethora of books written on the subject.
- The Non-Disclosure Form = Agreement signed between you and anyone you reveal your invention to.

Moving Ahead

- Analyze Costs to Produce = Ascertain what the costs will be.
- The Evaluation Process = Analyze the benefits and features, strengths and weaknesses of your invention.
- Get a Professional Prototype = Have professional prototypes made, the quality of which can be shown to potential retail buyers.
- Protect Your Idea = Apply for a provisional patent yourself.
- The Non-Provisional Patent = Your patent attorney files your non-provisional patent application.

Options for Marketing

- Licensing = The inventor has the choice to license the invention to a manufacturer in exchange for a royalty percentage in sales.
- Manufacturing = Manufacturing and distributing your invention entails higher financial risk but can reap greater profits.

Here are some books that can help you:

From Patent to Profit by Bob De Matteis
Protecting Your #1 Asset : Creating Fortunes from Your Ideas : An Intellectual Property Handbook
Patents and How to Get One : A Practical Handbook
How to Register Your Own Trademark : With Forms
Patent It Yourself
Protecting Your Ideas : The Inventor's Guide to Patents

Answer 2

Hi,

I recommend that you get in contact with a patent attorney if you have an invention which you are serious about protecting. It is very difficult for a layperson to write a valid and useful patent application - a patent is a legal document just as much as is the deed for your own home! Do not disclose your invention except under conditions of strict confidentiality until you have filed a patent application. If you are in the UK then you can find a patent attorney from the website of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (www.cipa.org.uk). If keeping costs to a minimum is important then you should probably use a sole practitioner rather than a large firm.

Just a few basics: You can start off by filing a UK patent application, and then within a year you can start looking towards protection in other countries (e.g. the US) or regions (e.g. Europe). There are a number of mechanisms to do this in an efficient and cost effective (but still very costly) manner. But protection in a number of countries is inevitably many times more expensive than protection in one country, and most private individuals would need financial backing to achieve it.

Patent applications are examined, and if they meet various requirements such as novelty (not been done before) and inventiveness (not a mere obvious modification of the prior art) etc, then they are granted. This process takes upwards of 2 years, depending on the country (the UK is very quick for example).

For business and funding advice, you could talk to a business advice service such as businesslink, or you could also talk to someone like the Wessex Innovation Service, which is managed by the South Hampshire Enterprise Agency. They would probably be the best people to advise in respect of prototypes and finding someone to take things further. Watch out for commercial companies that "specialise" in helping inventors exploit their inventions - they should be approached with caution, or in my opinion not at all.

Hope all that helps, and best of luck!

Answer 3

drawings are needed (with dimentions etc) and I would recommend getting a patent if you can.. (it has to be unique for that to happen) Then you approach whatever fabrication outfit deals with the material you need made.. with your drawings and find out how much they will charge you to make one. That is your proto-type. Then comes the field testing, evaluations etc.
If your idea has merit you might find someone to take it further as you say, but make sure you have a patent before you show your idea and drawings to anyone else or it won't be yours long if it is actually a good idea.

Answer 4

First off, submit your design for a patent (costs about £200 i think) and then they will check to see if anyone else has this already patented, or has a patent pending on it or a similar idea.

Do not get a prortype made or discuss with anyone in detail until that patent is applied for!

Hmmmm......dragons den?? ^^

Answer 5

Yeah after getting patents as discussed above you can , hire someone to [prepare prototype for you. You can bind her with CONFIDIENTIONAL CLAUSE.

To hire somone online , there are many great places like

http://www.RentaCoder.com
http://www.FreeLance.com
http://www.elance.com

Hope it work for you.

Answer 6

I invented a two handled spade but it wasn`t a success.

Answer 7

Get a patent.

Answer 8

my an inquiry here, have not used them myself
http://invent-tech.tv/inventions/?sc=Google&key=inventions&frm=Mas-100&ad=Phrase1&disp=searchURL&gclid=CPbQ7KvqqIcCFQyNHgodIGpW4w