Product Patents?

[okiedoke]

Does anyone here know about patents?

I have a pretty good idea, and can make it work. But once someone sees this in use, they could replicate it pretty easy.

My question is, how much does a patent protect your product from someone that changes one little thing about the design?

How much does someone have to change a design to not be affected by a patent?

Thanks!

[JimN]

first step is to do a patent search on your own.

https://www.uspto.gov

somebody may already have one. If not, you need to patent all applicable uses and any modifications that could possibly be made to your design to protect yourself.

An patent attorney ain't cheap. Try to do as much work as you can yourself. Research, drawings, how it is used, how it is made, etc,

[dcbrown]

I have been told, that all anyone has to do is change one thing about the product and the patent is not valid. I don't know if that is the case, but it's what I have been told.

[Jaybo31]

I have been told, that all anyone has to do is change one thing about the product and the patent is not valid. I don't know if that is the case, but it's what I have been told.

Theres alot more that goes into it. If something is even remotely close in the fit form or function the patent will usually get denied.

[qzilla]

As someone who owns patents, I would not recommend it unless you plan on making millions with this one particular item.

It is very expensive to get it done right and it is even more expensive to defend them.

[Jaybo31]

As someone who owns patents, I would not recommend it unless you plan on making millions with this one particular item.

It is very expensive to get it done right and it is even more expensive to defend them.

This! It is very expensive. I work for a large corporation so all of ours are handled through our attorneys.

[LeanMachine]

As someone who owns patents, I would not recommend it unless you plan on making millions with this one particular item.

It is very expensive to get it done right and it is even more expensive to defend them.

so what would you recommend for someone with a product that will not likely make millions?

[qzilla]

Get it done, finished and perfected and market like crazy and do as well as you can before you get steam rolled by a huge company.

Then take your profits and do it again on a new idea except bigger and so on and so forth.

Make hay while you can.

[okiedoke]

How much money does it take to get a patent?

[Mike Murphey]

Go to a patent attorney to make sure you cover your bases first...

[helibow]

Okie - I have a patent on a hunting related product. PM me if you want additional information. My opinion is to get it done right, protect your intellectual property and then you have more options to sell to competition rather than giving up the fight to someone who has more money and time than they deserve. Again, no offense to Quad or the other guys who chimed in - its must my personal opinion. I think it also depends on the product and the market, level of technology involved, etc.
I worked through a registered patent AGENT, not an atty. My patent is rock solid and was approved with no additional questions or issues on the first attempt (not the norm tho). Using a good quality PA versus an Atty will save you big bucks.

[Ol Thumper]

As someone who owns patents, I would not recommend it unless you plan on making millions with this one particular item.

It is very expensive to get it done right and it is even more expensive to defend them.

BINGO!!!!! We have a winner Having a patent is useless unless you have the cash to defend it against the big comapanys.... Thats a huge reason most smaller companys pay the royalty fee's to use someone elses idea so they do not have to worry about defending them. Ive known people sell their ideas to a company and turn around and pay a royalty fee to use their idea and design. The old saying it takes money to make money could not be more spot on than in this right here.