Anyone ever patent a tool?

[mattmankow]

Just looking for info, and maybe find a patent attorney who isn't a rip-off. Anyone have any good or bad experiences? I've looked at SP Tools, Lisle Tools, and LTI, they are very vague and want you to send all the info, I would feel better with a patent before sending anything out.

 

[dieselgarage]

We just get our art work notarized as a first step in protection. But we use it to protect us against our customers during the development stage of designing a machine. Not sure how or if that would work for your situation.

 

[kunkernator]

When you do get said tool patented, make sure you share that tool with us. I am interested to hear/see what you created.

 

[subdajj]

Before you spend any money for a attorney do a patent search on your own. That is the first thing a attorney will do. Below is the search page for the US Patent Office. Use every word you can think of that relates to your tool in the search.

http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/search/

The US Government Patent Office has a very good site with lots of info about patents and how to obtain a patent.

 

[W650Mike]

Google "Provisional Patent"

These can be done quickly and low cost. It buys time.

Some of the prior art rules are changing, but still document and date your idea as soon as you can. Have an impartial witness sign the docs and keep a copy.

 

[Steinmetz]

Just looking for info, and maybe find a patent attorney who isn't a rip-off. Anyone have any good or bad experiences? I've looked at SP Tools, Lisle Tools, and LTI, they are very vague and want you to send all the info, I would feel better with a patent before sending anything out.

I sent you a PM.

 

[dsimatt]

A guy at work had something he wanted to patent and looked into it but in the end would a cost a bunch of money and time so he said screw it...snap on and such are looking for ideas they'll buy but never heard someone actually doing that.

 

[justanengineer]

I have my name on several, though only one was really my own original idea. In both cases tho, the company paid for them, owns them, and Im seriously glad I dont bc it involves quite a bit of lawyer-dom that I'd love to do w/out. The attorney who I worked with told me our average patent costs ~$15k which Im not really sure if its high or low compared to a privately done one. I do know the entire process took several months and quite a few headaches on my part....and to this day it hasnt been challenged, tho that may change tomorrow. While I cant really speak about or have first hand knowledge of patent infringement in court, if its anything like the trademark infringement case I saw it makes a nasty expensive divorce look pleasurable.

Personally, I would take a good hard look at your potential product and seriously consider if its worth the effort. If its a new "spin" on an old idea I wouldnt bother as thats the advice Ive been given several times. Apparently there is a murky line between your new spin and the old idea....and if the old idea has been in the public domain for any length of time, it might be ruled as part of the old idea if challenged.....which your lawyer and the patent office might not advertise. Your ability to profit from a patent is entirely limited on your ability to defend the patent.

 

[RCStocker]

You will need the drawings, legal discription and a working finished tool.
Patents can cost 5 grand just to file. Most are much more.
I hae a set of 4 books called ingenious mechaisms. The set is about $200. It has just about evey design in mechanics and they are over the top.

You can use the on line US patente web site and look for anything like what you may have. 95% of the time or more there is already something on the books or has been applied for.

To make and patent a tool will cost about 20 grand. I have know some old timers who have patents. The patents were form the 20's and 1930's.

Beware. Contact a good attorney and he shold be able to tur you onto a good patent attorney. You want an attorney that has a mechanical engineering degree as well as his law lisence. All others are cluless.

Your idea might use one or more patents used in other tools or items. If so you would need to obtain the rights for those before you could sell your idea.

 

[WHT]

Yes, downhole surveying tool. The process can be long and expensive.

 

[N.I.]

I hae a set of 4 books called ingenious mechaisms. The set is about $200. It has just about evey design in mechanics and they are over the top.

I never knew such a collection existed - thanks for the info.

Do you know if they have changed much over the years? Should I buy new, or are diagrams in older second hand ones good enough?

 

[Steinmetz]

You will need the drawings, legal discription and a working finished tool.
Patents can cost 5 grand just to file. Most are much more.
I hae a set of 4 books called ingenious mechaisms. The set is about $200. It has just about evey design in mechanics and they are over the top.

You can use the on line US patente web site and look for anything like what you may have. 95% of the time or more there is already something on the books or has been applied for.

To make and patent a tool will cost about 20 grand. I have know some old timers who have patents. The patents were form the 20's and 1930's.

Beware. Contact a good attorney and he shold be able to tur you onto a good patent attorney. You want an attorney that has a mechanical engineering degree as well as his law lisence. All others are cluless.

Your idea might use one or more patents used in other tools or items. If so you would need to obtain the rights for those before you could sell your idea.

You do not need a working tool. The written specification, claims and drawings constitute the constructive "reduction to practice". No prototypes are required.

You do not need to obtain "rights" to use "one or more patents". You are only required to disclose prior art that you are aware of. Your patent claims must avoid the prior art you disclose, as well as the prior art cited by the Examiner during the patent examination.

 

[expatriated]

I have a couple of patents. They are not tools per se, they are firearms safety devices.

I have done patents on my own and through very expensive (high-quality!) patent attorneys. I could write volumes on the subject.

Know that 93% of all patents are not profitable. So, it's an uphill battle to start with. My patents are profitable as I'm approaching the 50,000th unit sold soon. This is in the last 6 years.

Having said that, you really need to determine WHY you want a patent. It may be better just to have your product made and let people try to copy it. You can bleed yourself dry getting your patent and trying to protect it. Ironically getting and protecting a patent may do the exact opposite of what you want it to do--make you profitable.

I am not sure if I would get a patent again, maybe just produce it and be that much farther ahead financially.

I had a fairly straight forward, simple design and the patent ended up being $15k. That's a pretty big chunk of change up front for something that may never make a dime and bankrupt you trying to protect it.

I have assisted some buddies in their patent processes that have done it rather unconventially by getting a company to pay for the patent and then split the profits with him.

Whatever you can come up with can be negotiated so unless you've got a ton of money sitting around, get creative with the financing, marketing, creating, etc.

PM if you have specific questions, I'd be glad to answer them.

 

[expatriated]

Just looking for info, and maybe find a patent attorney who isn't a rip-off. Anyone have any good or bad experiences? I've looked at SP Tools, Lisle Tools, and LTI, they are very vague and want you to send all the info, I would feel better with a patent before sending anything out.

If you're going to shop your idea around, get a "Provisional Patent". You can do this on your own easily and it will give you a year's protection before you file for the full patent. This buys you some time while you try to determine if it'll be profitable.

 

[Steinmetz]

We just get our art work notarized as a first step in protection. But we use it to protect us against our customers during the development stage of designing a machine. Not sure how or if that would work for your situation.

Your invention record does not need to be notarized. Just have someone read it that is capable of understanding the invention, sign it and date it. Make sure that the person signing is competent to serve as a witness in case sworn testimony is required.

This requirement will soon be going away, since the United States will become a first-to-file jurisdiction, as opposed to first-to-invent.

 

[Hawk321]

I did!

NEVER EVER post your idea in this board unless it's in production or patented!!!!

Make a couple of evidences like technical drawings, picture etc.....before you send it to a company.

Actually I made a special tool which safes the shops in europe thousands of €! Marketing has started, got my contract, support of one of the biggest special tools companies...

But I will not post it yet to garage journal unless some month have past....remember...CHINA is always watching and a patent is worthless if a companie copies your idea in another country where this patend is not valid.