I have an invention.....?

Question

I want to patent it and take it to investors what do I need?

In terms of diagrams, summary, etc...

Answer 1

In addition to what "Pretzels" said, a Patent Agent is usually cheaper than a Patent Attorney.

BTW, you have a twelve month grace period to file for a patent after the date that you first show it to the public (such as to investors, other engineers, etc.). It becomes public knowledge if you do not apply for a patent within twelve months after the first public disclosure -- which means that no one can patent it at that point [Title 35, United States Code, section 102(b)]

Since getting a patent is expensive, some people try to pitch their idea to investors for about six months to see if there is a market for their idea before they apply for a patent. This can be risky, because someone can try to steal your idea, but as long as you have detailed notes (with dates on them), and your agent or attorney knows about them, then you can always prove later that you were the first to invent. Talk to your agent or attorney first.

Answer 2

All you really need is a patent attorney to write your patent. Youneed an attorney to do this anyway. You really can't do it on your own. The attorney will know all about what diagrams, etc. you need. If you want to see what a typical patent involves, all patents are available at www.uspto.gov.

You do need a complete description of your invention and you must disclose everything you know about it in the patent. The best place for you to start is to write a few pages describing what you have in detail. Your attorney will need that to get things underway.

I've been through this many times. I hold 24 patents so I do know what I'm talking about.

Answer 3

Start by getting a copy of the patent paperwork. Fill it out meticulously, and submit anything that they request (they will request diagrams, descriptions of mechanism, features which distinguish it from anything on the market, etc). There is a chance that once you submit paperwork, and pay your fee etc. that another patent will be found on the device which you have invented. It is not rare for more than one person to implement the same idea independently (the most famous example being calculus in which identical advances were made independently by both Newton and Leibniz).

Apply for your prior to talking to any companies. That way in a dispute you have the upper hand. If a company wants you to sell your patent and rights, it had better be a sweet deal.

Answer 4

BEWARE of so called "patent referral" companies on the web and on tv. They will try to either steal your idea or convince you to pay them to "develop " your ideas.
Look up USPTO on google. I have USPTO 5808528
It cost the company I worked for 50k and several years to get the paperwork done. Corporate attorneys did the filings 12 claims.
good luck