If someone could just tell me how to locate someone to develop my invention, that would be a start
2006-10-03 08:06:56 · 9 answers · asked by harlacan 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Patent your idea first. write down EVERYTHING about the idea and mail it to yourself and don't open the envelope.
2006-10-03 08:09:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
There are many companies that do this, part depends on what field you are referring too. A patent may protect you but some warnings, often anything is patentable in some way, some companies may have the idea and have worked on it already but for others reasons have not brought it to market. Some usually smaller companies can help you with some cost but they usually strike some deal. You can sign confidentiality agreements but often its a battle on who signs whos. There is no one magic company. I recommend a young company that is in the field of the invention. You can start the patent work but don't need to go thru with the whole filing as this usually takes lots of time. DO NOT listen to those late night commercials regarding patents. Now out of all this the most important and missing things is DO YOUR MARKET HOMEWORK. My experience is that most inventors think they came up with with the next thing better the sliced bread and 99 times out of 100 its not. Idea might be great but costs might be high or market to small or something is better on the horizon.
2006-10-03 09:13:20 · answer #2 · answered by JoeP 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would NOT START FIRST by finding someone to help you. Take these steps to protect your idea FIRST.
1. Write down the idea, make really good drawings, and mail the stuff to yourself. Never open the letter unless you have to. Open it only in the presence of a lawyer. This places a date and a name to the idea. This is a proven way to credit the idea to yourself.
2. Patent the idea.
3. Dont use one of those idea places you see on infomercials
4. If you need help from an engineer or a designer, get them to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
THEN
These people can help you:
www.designcontinuum.com
or do a GOOGLE search for 'product design'
2006-10-03 08:53:05 · answer #3 · answered by designer_brian 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who you find depends entirely on what your invention is. I'll asume that since you posted in the Engineering section you think you may need an Engineer. You can do a search online for design/engineering firms that may specialize in this type of thing. You may also have luck, if you live in the US, with contacting you state board of professional engineers. They will have a list of engineers who are licensed in your state to offer engineering services to the general public.
Who ever you find to develop the idea have then sign a Confidentiality Agreement, and an Intelectual Property Agreement.
This way they are legally bound to not speak to anyone about your idea and they also agree that anything that they develop, within the scope of the project, belongs to you.
Unless you keep it completely to yourself and never let anyone see it, including not selling the final product, there is really no way of stopping someone from stealing an idea. You can sue them after they have done it and tried to sell it, but you can't do much before hand except do your research and find someone that you feel you can trust.
EDITED TO ADD:
Mailing a letter to your self is called a "Poor Man's Patent".
Check out the following PDF document of US Patent Office website for there take on this practice.
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/ptotoday/ptotoday12.pdf
Scroll down to page 16 and it talks about the myth of this procedure. You can also do a search just for poor man's patent and find all kinds of information as well as ways to protect your idea, such as using a bound notebook and filing a patent application to start the process.
The moral of the story is that there is no easy and/or cheap way of protecting your invention. It requires a novel idea, due diligence in it's pursuit, and of course money.
2006-10-03 08:50:49 · answer #4 · answered by James B 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You should start with a patent attorney. Once you have a patent, you can seek assistance from professionals in the field of your invention. If you choose to mail yourself a description of the invention during the patent process, be sure to use Registered (not certified) mail. This provides a paper trail of the mailing date. In addition, the post office will mark all seems providing evidence that the envelope has not been opened.
2006-10-03 14:40:37 · answer #5 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact a lawyer first. They may draw up an invention disclosure document that you would have people sign before you tell them your idea. Basically, they would agree in writing not to use your idea for their own purposes.
I wouldn't start with a patent because your final design may deviate enough that someone could work around it.
2006-10-03 15:51:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Patent it. Is a simple answer isnt it. Search about your idea on a patent website, if it is thought by someone else before. Tell part of your ideas to someone who is knowlageble to understand them. Discuss it with ur professor or an intelligent friend.
BEST OF LUCK FOR UR SEARCH. CONGRATULATIONS if u really find something.
2006-10-03 08:34:34 · answer #7 · answered by piti 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
patent it and then go and ask for help.
2006-10-03 08:09:04 · answer #8 · answered by Nick W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hav u visited
http://eure.brinkster.net
2006-10-05 04:16:54 · answer #9 · answered by passion1234us 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋