tegwin
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 09:50 PM |
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Inventing something
Over the last year I have got involved in a quite interesting project... I have basically developed something that I am hoping I can put into
production, its a fairly nieche product but no one else is doing it at the moment, its design is very much dictated by its function, so copying it
would be easy.....
I am now at the stage where I have done a lot of prototyping and testing, I am fairly sure within the next few months I will be looking to get some
parts manufactured and some production prototypes installed in "situ" so that they can be proved on the job and used as a marketing tool
once installed.
Does anyone have any advice on how best to protect myself? Obviously as soon as other companies get wind of what I have created they may well want to
try it themselves as its not particularly hard, just takes some thought...
I am just worried after spending months working on this thing and a lot of money invested that I could easily loose it by someone basically stealing
my idea......
If anyone has any guidance or advice atall on this subject I would appreciate it....
And sorry I cant be more specific about it at the moment :-(
also, if anyone happens to know of any people/comanies that do the following, please let me know..
Alloy die casting
CNC mill/lathe
Injection moulding and or blowing of polycarb or glass...
[Edited on 11/1/11 by tegwin]
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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markt0121
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:05 PM |
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Maybe worth taking a look at http://www.ipo.gov.uk/
see if any of the methods of protecting IP could apply to your design.
Also has some links for searching existing patents to make sure you don't infringe any existing patents.
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slingshot2000
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:08 PM |
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Be VERY careful who you talk to, show pics to or divulge anything to.
Look at having a Non- Disclosure agreement drawn up , and then get every one to sign it! However; Manufacturers will ignore them, so dont show them
anything.
Some University have rapid prototyping equipment, but beware, Teeside Uni wanted to grant ME a licence for MY idea and then take a cut!
Speak to a Patent Attorney as soon as you can, I can recomend the one I am using.
Send me a U2U if you would like my number for a friendly chat and some advice.
Regards
Jon
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nick205
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:08 PM |
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Design Registration and Patents are the best form of protection you can obtain, but not fast and not cheap. I co-hold several patents through work
and from experience the time and cost could be prohibitive to an individual.
The primary thing at this stage is not to reveal the invention or design to anyone at all. You should keep dated records of everyhing to demostrate
prior art as well.
Another useful tool is the Non Disclosure Agreement. This can be a simple written agreement you ask people to sign whom you might need to disclose or
discuss the invention with in order to develop it further.
There's quite a good website on British patents, but I can't find it at the minute.
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DanP
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:20 PM |
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Just to echo the above really... You need to be really careful discussing your idea with anyone. We are always told at work that you cannot patent
something if it has been discussed outside the company without NDA's in place.
If something is easy to copy (and to prove that it has been copied) then patents are often the way to protect your idea. Unfortunately patenting
something can take years to be granted and be very expensive.
Once granted a patent doesn't automatically protect your idea, it just might scare off potential copiers or gives you ammunition if you want to
sue anyone that does copy your idea.
I think the whole thing is a bit of a minefield so it's best to get proper advice.
Cheers,
Dan
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skodaman
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:22 PM |
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I converted my MZ250 ETZ to run on water, running a cr of 500:1. Only problem was it was a bit hard to kickstart and the big-ends didn't last
long. Still one of the oil companies bought my patent so now I can afford to build a locost.
Seriously though if you need to get parts sourced do it from several different places so they don't know what it's actually for, and
good luck. If it's carbon fibre cortina uprights you're doing I'll have some.
Skodaman
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g60_edge
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:23 PM |
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Agree with all the above
For injection moulding in your area I have worked with this company in the past, was a few years ago now.
http://www.aki.co.uk/home
Know of quite a few others plus toolmakers, but in Oxfordshire.
I've done a fair bit of design for injection moulding, so if you need any more info let me know.
Alex
[Edited on 11/1/11 by g60_edge]
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theduck
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:23 PM |
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I may be wrong, but does a patent not only stop someone making an identical copy? Meaning they can copy the idea but by making it slightly differently
not breach patent?
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g60_edge
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by theduck
I may be wrong, but does a patent not only stop someone making an identical copy? Meaning they can copy the idea but by making it slightly differently
not breach patent?
It all depends on the claims of the patent. The above is true if it a very badly written. It is not usually that easy!
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plentywahalla
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 10:57 PM |
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There is a saying in the business that "A patent is only worth the money that you are prepared to spend to defend it"
Look into Unregistered Design Rights. You can establish that by lodging a set of dated drawings with a solicitor. Very simple and inexpensive.
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watsonpj
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 11:10 PM |
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A patent will protect a design idea and not just a particular implementation of it but it very much depends on how it is written. The design patent
can be protected against people making small changes but this is all in the wording and by having definite claims. It is important that you are very
clear about who invented it, who it was first disclosed to and what you have done and for what reason. You should write it up as clearly as possible
(this is not the patent just the disclosure the patent lawyer will work to)
The info you need to capture is listed below
Invention Name.
Date of invention
Author Name
Inventor/s Names
First disclosed to - Ensure this is someone you trust (patent lawyer preferable)
Disclosure Date
Background - The reason/s that you believe the invention is needed and the situation that you may use it in (use diagrams where applicable but keep
them simple and monochrome).
Current technology - If this is a replacement for a technology that already exists then discribe this and its shortcomings.
The invention - Describe the invention, its various aspects and advantages it has over existing technology. AQgain the use of diagrams can be
important (simple is best as you are not nescessarily describing you implementation at this stage but what the invention is). It is important that
your description allows 'somebody skilled in the art' to recreate your invention.
This all then needs to go to the patent guys for them to build your claims and create the first filing. As has been said this is a very long winded
and expensive process so if its niche it needs to be high margin to make it all worthwhile.
Best of luck and please remember the locosters when you made your millions from a dragons den investor.
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matt_gsxr
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 11:25 PM |
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Hi there,
You could talk to ISIS Innovation http://www.isis-innovation.com/about/index.html . This is a oxford university spin-off who basically try to turn
ideas into business propositions.
My experience of them is that they are honest and decent. They are not completely tied to the university and although they still do a lot of Oxford
Univ business they also deal in all sorts of things. They are decent in my experience, and although not the most efficient organisation are good
people, and if they bought into the idea they could probably assist you with route to market and IP. With all these things they are not in it for
charity, so they'd want their slice of the pie.
Matt
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jollygreengiant
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| posted on 11/1/11 at 11:39 PM |
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A simple process that anyone can do, is to photograph the design and constuction stages with a time and date stamped photo. Then collect all your
evidence of design together, photo copy the items and finally put everything into two boxes (duplicates just incase) and send both parcels to yourself
via two different recorded delivery mail/package services. Then leave them un-opened upon receipt until evidence might be needed.
At an earliest date possible you should then register designs or patents as required and maybe register a trade name that decribes the product or
service.
Beware of the Goldfish in the tulip mines. The ONLY defence against them is smoking peanut butter sandwiches.
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 12/1/11 at 07:48 AM |
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These guys work on our industrial estate and do some good work.
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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interestedparty
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| posted on 12/1/11 at 08:39 AM |
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The big question here is-
"are the potential profits from the invention big enough to make it worth taking anyone infringing your patent to court, and in how many
countries?"
because an alternative approach would be to get your product to market taking steps to keep it secret until then, protect it as far as possible using
the methods outlined above, but after that put the money that would go towards patenting (and court cases) into the marketing instead.
As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,
I've got a little list-- I've got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground,
And who never would be missed-- who never would be missed!
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