How to Patent Something??

[420 racin]

Anybody have any experience in getting soemthing patented? I know I prolly need to get in touch with an attorney (any recomendations). I imagine the patent process shouldn't be too troublesome, but how do you go about marketing the product and manufacturing the product once you have a patent on it?

[SB]

The law office of Butler-Snow in Madison can help you with the patent. As far as getting to the market, Shark Tank.

[edub20]

Anybody have any experience in getting soemthing patented? I know I prolly need to get in touch with an attorney (any recomendations). I imagine the patent process shouldn't be too troublesome, but how do you go about marketing the product and manufacturing the product once you have a patent on it?

I would imagine you could bring in a marketing consultant to formulate a plan and strategy but that's going to drive your to market cost up. To keep cost down you may have to grow slow at first to stay afloat while steadily adding retailers etc. A lot of folks will invest in webspace first due to its simplicity and broad reach so i would start there. The main goal is to get the "brand" known. If you get people talking about your product in whatever market you're targeting with your product then you're off to a good start. You can also send you product to well known people for review and critique in exchange for publicity on forums, sites, etc...

Establish a youtube channel to demo and discuss you product so that you can point people to the videos for refrence.

There is also the option to sell your product on Amazon as a "Seller" and like sites where you will get the benefit of reviews.

I've never done this before so I'm just thinking out loud here on what I would target first once the patent was submitted

[mossyisland]

Stephen Ashley is who I have used. His number is 704-847-1300.

[Barq's]

What kind of $ are we talking to go to a lawyer on this subject?
Thanks....
Barq's

[Deltaquack]

One of the best in America.......from none other than Cleveland, MS and Delta State. Worked in the US Patent office for a long time.....can tell you everything you need to know. Most medical schools including UMMC use him when they come up with a certain device and such. Had his pick of what firm he wanted to join when leaving D.C. and chose Nashville. He'll talk to you and tell you what it involves and how much you are looking at to take it all the way. I know you need very specific drawings.

http://www.stites.com/attorneys/richard-s-myers-jr

[dukluk]

A VERY intelligent gentleman, who holds about six well-known medical and aeronautical patents, once told me something, I'll never forget.... he said, if he had to do it all over again, he would put the money that he had spent on patents and attorneys, BEFORE they became successful, into his pocket.
He said to spend that money on building and marketing your product, first....if it's a successful product, then, go for the patent, because you can always make modifications, and still get a patent, even if someone tries to patent a similar product.

I trusted him with my life, and took two ideas to him for his input because I knew he would be honest with me about their marketability....one ended up, being a homerun for me, and the other fell flat....and, I spent zero dollars on patents and attorneys for each....just saying.

[SB]

What was the home run?

[Deltamud77]

First rule of patents...it is not worth the paper it is printed on unless you can afford to defend it in court...and patent litigation is extremely expensive, i.e., hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees at times AND you rarely get damages (or attorney fees) when suing an infringer, unless you can prove a willful infringement.

Second rule of patents...they are by no means a guarantee of success of the product.

Third rule of patents...it is often better to spend $1,000 on a trademark and market the fool out of your product earning market share than spending $10,000 to $20,000 on something you cannot afford to defend in court anyway. EX: Scentlok's patent application was denied. They were very slick with their marketing, trademarked their name and logo...their business was not hurt at all by having their patent denied because they had name recognition and market share.


You are looking at very low end spending $8,000 to $10,000 for a patent application to be filed from a reputable patent attorney....in most cases that number is going to be closer to $20,000. You should never file an application without first having a very thorough prior art search performed. You are also going to have to pay for ancillary things like the drawings as well.

Budget $15,000 and hope that it is not denied and that you do not have to file an appeal...that will result in another $5,000 or so in legal fees.

[420 racin]

First rule of patents...it is not worth the paper it is printed on unless you can afford to defend it in court...and patent litigation is extremely expensive, i.e., hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees at times AND you rarely get damages (or attorney fees) when suing an infringer, unless you can prove a willful infringement.

Second rule of patents...they are by no means a guarantee of success of the product.

Third rule of patents...it is often better to spend $1,000 on a trademark and market the fool out of your product earning market share than spending $10,000 to $20,000 on something you cannot afford to defend in court anyway. EX: Scentlok's patent application was denied. They were very slick with their marketing, trademarked their name and logo...their business was not hurt at all by having their patent denied because they had name recognition and market share.


You are looking at very low end spending $8,000 to $10,000 for a patent application to be filed from a reputable patent attorney....in most cases that number is going to be closer to $20,000. You should never file an application without first having a very thorough prior art search performed. You are also going to have to pay for ancillary things like the drawings as well.

Budget $15,000 and hope that it is not denied and that you do not have to file an appeal...that will result in another $5,000 or so in legal fees.

Well with that kind of Money I won't be getting a patent. My product is a relatively simply thing that wouldl only be used by a certain few people in a certain industry. There are other types of this "instrument " out there but none that incorporate all the things/information I have on mine. I built this thing in college over some beer one night and still use it today in the woods. I just think if Ican get it in the hands of the professionals that use this piece/type equipment, they would prefer to use mine over the industry standard.

There are a few folks on this board that this would apply to being the type work they do.

[Deltamud77]

Here is an example of something that used marketing...and not patents (at least initially) to win the day.

http://www.inc.com/magazine/201305/judi ... olers.html

By the way, INC magazine is a really good, informative publication for entrepreneurs and creative business types. Really good magazine that has content...not just advertisements.

[ScottBrown]

420, Hood said that is his invention.

[DUCKAHOLIC]

First rule of patents...it is not worth the paper it is printed on unless you can afford to defend it in court...and patent litigation is extremely expensive, i.e., hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees at times AND you rarely get damages (or attorney fees) when suing an infringer, unless you can prove a willful infringement.

Second rule of patents...they are by no means a guarantee of success of the product.

Third rule of patents...it is often better to spend $1,000 on a trademark and market the fool out of your product earning market share than spending $10,000 to $20,000 on something you cannot afford to defend in court anyway. EX: Scentlok's patent application was denied. They were very slick with their marketing, trademarked their name and logo...their business was not hurt at all by having their patent denied because they had name recognition and market share.


You are looking at very low end spending $8,000 to $10,000 for a patent application to be filed from a reputable patent attorney....in most cases that number is going to be closer to $20,000. You should never file an application without first having a very thorough prior art search performed. You are also going to have to pay for ancillary things like the drawings as well.

Budget $15,000 and hope that it is not denied and that you do not have to file an appeal...that will result in another $5,000 or so in legal fees.

This is the smartest thing said on this whole post....I have been dealing with patents for over 15 years. I can also tell you that IF you do put it on the market and sell it before you get one.....you will not be able to get a patent.

Patents keep honest people honest....like a lock on a door....if a big company wants to knock your idea off, they will and never look back

[420 racin]

420, Hood said that is his invention.

I use mine..he doesn't use his and WE built it at my house using my tools...makes it mine, but if I make a million dollars (HA) I will buy him a twelver. I can't even pay him to come paint timber with me. He is too busy