Invention Help

[.jrauck]

I am 16 years old and came up with an invention a while back. I think my invention will go pretty far, but the main problem is... I don't have the money.

The company I talked to they told me just to design it that it would cost me $900. Then it would be put in a show and if it got picked then I would officially would have created an invention, but if they didn't pick it then basically I would be screwed.

Thats why im asking if anyone knows of a site that will help young people create their invention with out a crap load of money being spent, such as a contest for young people.

[Slug Toy]

you shouldnt need to go to a company to get an invention certified, much less have it in a show and go through a voting process. thats what a patent office is for. if you believe that what you have is new and useful, submit a design to them. i dont know if you need to send in a working sample or not... designs might be enough. theres no way you should have to shell out $900 to a company just to design something.

my suggestion is to contact the patent office and see what they want first, and then go from there.

[GT40_GearHead]

yeah, slug is right, if you do have something, unique, and from all that concerns you you do, don't show it to anyone, be a bit paranoic about it, ust take it to the Patent Office and get a patent for it, you may have to throw some money at them, your invention will be safe after that

[Crimson13]

I believe that he means he only has an idea for something and that he needs it to be designed by someone.

You do have to pay to get a patent and you need lots of detailed drafting drawings of what your patenting. Because you can't patent just an idea for a product, you have to have enough materials (theoretically) that you could build your product based completely off of what is in your patent file. Usually you need to do a patent search first to see if there is anything like it out there and that also costs money. And in some cases you need to see a patent attorney and again that costs $$.

Now if you need it to be designed you may want to get your ideas copyrighted, under the intellectual copyright/property laws. That also might cost something but it should be less then a patent. A good way to protect your idea is to take your idea write all information on it down and mail it to yourself in a high-end security envelope. By mailing it to yourself you put a federally stamped date on that envelope and you can prove that you had that idea on that day. Now contrary to health class its ok to double up on your protection ;) so you can use more then one envelope around your information. And then NEVER EVER!! open that envelope unless your are in a court of law in front of a judge, if you do that voids any creditability towards your case. That breaks your date sealed information. Oh and one more thing I suggest that you keep a file with copies of what is in your envelope so you can remember whats in there. :D

I know this seems like a lot and it is but the reward of seeing your product in the finished stage is (I think) worth the work.

I am also in the process of designing a product and will be applying for copyright and patents in the coming future. So if you want I can contact you with any information I gather along the way.

Hope I helped,

-Crim13

[AJ@PR]

I'm super rushed @ work right now... and need to get some stuff out the door.... but when I get home, I'll post a more detailed post...

I have various patents, granted, declined, and pending... so I have a little bit of expertise in the subject.

I read "poor man's patent" or something as I scrolled... I think (haven't read) that you guys are refering to mailing yourself a document with your invention's description.

Just to let you know, the US PTO is crystal clear where it stands on such documents :::: They're worthless to them.
They don't accept them.
They don't recognize them.
Period.

Anyways, I'll write more ASAP. :)

BTW: Don't tell the company your idea just yet...

[progbuddy]

The company more than likely wants you to throw money at their feet and expect plans, leaving you with nothing. Don't tell them all the details of your project and try to get a patent. This way, you collect all the money and you're not left hanging. Thats bullcrap. They need to pay YOU money for YOUR idea.

[d_stilgar]

The patent office will issue patents for designs even if they do not work ever. If anyone watches mythbusters, they will see that. They go and buy plans and research items from the patent office. Many of the items would never work or require materials that don't even exist in this galaxy. What I'm trying to say is that mildly crappy drawings that show a concept should warrant a patent.

[Commando]

I researched this a couple of months ago because I had a great idea.

2 types of patents, design or function basically.

http://www.legalzoom.com/law_library/provisional-patents/whatcanbe.html

I totally don't want to be a party pooper. If you have a really good idea, it's a long road and a little expensive.

The best place to start is Google patent search. I bet someone has already figured out your idea. Someone already figured out mine like 10 years ago.

Here's the good news. If your idea really rocks start documenting it now. Also with outside help. Don't pay for anything. If it really is a good idea someone will put up the money for it. The tricky part is to find it.

Last word of advice. Anybody will take your money and tell you it's a good idea. Be careful and humble. Find some friends or professors at school (college hopefully) and ask for advice. Don't stress about someone taking your idea. That's mostly baloney, that's why you start documenting it. As long as you can prove you really started it no one can "steal" your idea.

Ok, I'm still talking. This really is the last thing. There is a difference between stealing someone's idea and putting effort into starting something that someone came up with but didn't want to put the effort into. Last time I checked(college business law, like 5 years ago), our legal system is pretty good about distinguishing who really came up with an idea and was willing to put the effort into it.

I hope this helps.

[AJ@PR]

I am 16 years old and came up with an invention a while back. I think my invention will go pretty far, but the main problem is... I don't have the money.

The company I talked to they told me just to design it that it would cost me $900. Then it would be put in a show and if it got picked then I would officially would have created an invention, but if they didn't pick it then basically I would be screwed.

Thats why im asking if anyone knows of a site that will help young people create their invention with out a crap load of money being spent, such as a contest for young people.
1st off, nice going on starting out the part-time Crazy Inventor career path. :)

2nd... the company.
From what you said, by default, you couldn't patent it.
If they "build" your invention, and put it in a show, you (nor them) can patent it because it just came part of "the public domain of knowledge".

Shady stuff is clearly seen when you consider the $900 price/cost/charge.
How the hell do they know it'll cost them 900 smacaroonies to build your idea?
I mean, maybe it's 3 PVC pipes with some Velcro attached... but maybe it's a tiny piece of copper with 2,000 precise machinning steps.

Stay away from 'em, is my suggestion.

GET THE BOOK "Patent It YourSelf"
ISBN: 1413305164
Amazon.com Linky (http://www.amazon.com/Patent-Yourself-David-Pressman/dp/1413305164/sr=8-1/qid=1172027644/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-5536442-9672015?ie=UTF8&s=books)
Great book. Great. A++ recommended.

As to protecting your invention without $$$...
I suggest to 1st do research.
Go to the USPTO.gov site and start researching patents and applications.
The more you read of 'em (and get ready to read a lot of *crap*), the more proficient you'll become at searching for them.

When you submit for a patent, you have to provide researched patent numbers... if you don't you'll flat out get rejected.

The USPTO has a "Disclosure Document" program.
I remember I used it a couple of years ago, and if I'm not mistaken, it provides very low expense protection for your idea.
Basically, you write out your idea as best you can, drawings, doodles, paragraphs, etc, and then send them that (with a self-addressed postcard, envelope, money orders $, etc.).
Then, they'll send you back your postcard with a barcode and a number... that's their acknowledgement of the receipt of your "bunch of papers".

It isn't a patent... it isn't a patent application... you can't claim "Patent Pending".

BUT!!! It's cheap ($30 or something???) and...
And you have 1 year after their receipt, to submit for an actual patent application. So you can buy yourself some time there.

One thing you should keep in mind, is that the USPTO is granting you, the inventor, "rights" to have a monopoly on your idea, for a given period of time, in exchange for a full disclosure of how to produce your idea.

Aquiring a patent is synonymous with making your idea public.
^^^^ Think about this. ^^^^

Patent attorneys cost ****loads of money.
In my experience, around $8,000 for a simple patent.
Simple one.

....

Well, I can go on and on and on... but it's late... and this is already one long-ass post... and I don't think I made it coherent enough...
So, anyways, if I can help you with anything, please post/ask.
When possible, write down your idea, get a close friend/family member to read the document, understand the idea, and sign it as a "Witness in Undertanding" with date, name, signature, etc.

:) :) :)

Best to you man... keep hacking at it... for ever... keep at it :)

[.jrauck]

Thanks guys im very much appreciating the help.

Also im about to go to bed, but if anyone has links to a tutorial that shows how to make a mold like out of clay or something that would be great. Im going to start to try to make a prototype after the drawings and such are done while doing the documentation and such. I know this is not going to be an easy job, but I think I can do this.

Oh and btw the company that told me how much it would be to make the invention which was $900 was invent-tech and I just read up that they were scamming people and such. Hopefully im not screwed :(

[tybrenis]

It's hard to know how to make your invention without knowing what it is, but your best bet might to be to talk to a local machinist. Find a nice guy with a home shop oe sme free time on his hands and give him some good quality design drawings. Or, you could send your drawings to a CNC shop to be made.

[.jrauck]

I just started molding with clay. I know its not going to look that great when done with the clay I just want to try to make something that actually works first before getting into deep detail.

Next when im finished I want to make a mild with either plastic or rubber. Is there any good tutorials that show how to make a mold with either rubber or plastic?

[tybrenis]

A really simple, lightweight latex molding tutorial:
http://www.modeltrain.com/rubbermold/rubbermold.html
Plaster mold making:
http://www.studiocreations.com/howto/evilash/plastermold.html

I also sent you a PM about some machining stuff.

[Aero]

If you think about it, all modders are "inventors" on some level. We invent things everyday to make our PC's look and run smoother :).

I would say your going in the right direction. Deffinatly patent. When I was 11 I had an idea for a foldable pocket knife based off the leatherman tool. Except I had it based around a hammer because at the time I found it more usefull. But at the age of 11 I didn't know squat, so I made a "prototype" out of cardboard and it never left the closet :p. About 3 years later I saw my idea for sale in a gadget magazine for $80 >_<. That same process has been repeated about 3 times for me now..so patents = good idea for a good idea.

[xRyokenx]

Well, that sucks, did anyone get ahold of your design Aero? And building on what Aero said, patents are necessary if you want your ideas to stay yours.

[Aero]

patents are necessary if you want your ideas to stay yours.



I doubt it. I mean its possible that by word of mouth my first few got out and then inspired someone. But after that I pretty much kept them to myself. I wish I were able to say "they stole my idea!", but really its most likely that more than one person had the same idea for a usefull device and they got to it first.

[xRyokenx]

Yeah... things do spread quick, like how it seems now that I'm a ****ing psychopath... stupid Pamlico county (a neighboring redneck county where things travel faster than through firewire)... I'm not crazy, I just get pissed off by stupidity and say dumb things occasionally... ah well, time to get back on topic.