Need Help With Invention

Holy crap that is alot of money!!!!!! When I researched this before I knew that it would involve a lawyer at some point in time. But dang man. My family does not have that kind of money.

 

Pay for the lawyer fees and deal. lol

Can you kind of give me an idea what you mean? Just to make sure I am understanding you correctly.

 

A question on that. Does my prototype have to be a final product? I mean does it have to look like what I want it to?

 

The major problem is the patent search to be sure that what you have come up with is not already patented....that's 1/2 of what the lawyer is all about...There are endless patents out there...

Good luck with your Idea! The first microwave oven came from a radar operators melted chocolate bar! Allegedly a Mr. Goodbar

 

Got to love lawyers. lmao

 

Alot of people don't think of this but a good place to start is to go to a university of community college that has an engineering program. I know that Louisville has a very good prototyping progam for thier students. They typically are looking to student projects that can become real life consumer goods. If your invention truly is groundbreaking then they could do much of the ground work. Drawings, prototypes, testing etc...
You will not need to actually get a patent at this time but get the paperwork started so the documentation starts. Make sure if you go with a college to get a non-disclosure statement signed (typically found with a net search).
The only downfall is that you may have to share the profits with them. Many a great idea and product has been started improved upon and reinvented in a college environment.
Whatever you do don't go to an invention.com business. They are designed to steal your money. Yes have had successful products they have help bring to market but for the money you might as well put you money in the lottery or a slot machine. Your return on investment will be similar.

Lastly go to the US patent website again and spend hours searching for anything that is remotely similar to your idea. If you find something that is close to the same and it never made it then it may not be worth pursuing. Major companies search the patent website for ideas. if they haven't snatched it up then they know that money can't be made on it.

 

I lied I have two inventions actually.

One question on the other one though. Suppose I am trying to make a rope decline while holding weight (1-40 lbs) how do I do that? (kind of like how our glove box works). Now I was thinking of a torsion spring like how a pull string is on a motor. But in order to hold that much weight it would be very hard to extend the line as well if the objects only way a few pounds.

Also that quarky website is kind of a rip off if you have a big invention. 35% profit from people on the website that buy your product. And only 10% if it sells to walmart or something.

 

I never thought about taking it to a school. But I tihnk that is a great idea. Actually something I might pursue. One question though? What if a student runs off with the invention?

I searched a little last night and this morning. But I say Ill keep at it for a month or 2.

 

You would need a progressive spring setup. It would increase the tension as the load increased.

You gotta remember that your product isn't going to go big time right off the bat. You need someone like quarky to invest in it for a year or 2 while it gets established, then you can go on your own after the contract ends and you have customers.

 

I will read all 16 pages of quarkys statement. Maybe itll be promising. I know a company like that though would help susbstantially. Maybe for both inventions. One is minscual compared to the other.

im googling away for a progressive spring set up with rope. Keep getting the same thing such as a retractable dog leash, projector screens, etc. May just have to go witht he same setup as one of those.

Read some more of the quirky statement. Man Basically if your idea is not spot on and perhaps other people influence you to change your idea in any way they get a percentage of your 30%. So lets say 5 guys have some helpful tips such as oh you should move this here so it fits against your face better or whatever. You might only be getting 5% of sales to people on that website. and less then 1% to places like walmart etc. Also your contract with them never ends. Because basically when you invent something your giving them the entitlement.

 

If the college works with outside individuals on inventions and prototypes they will have the disclosures and appropriate paperwork and safeguards in place to protect them and you. That doesn't mean someone won't run off or try to steal your invention. That's were you need to document (with dates and signatures) everything you can. Document your first meeting with the college or anyone for that matter that you share anything about your invention. Start the patent process (initial paperwork) so that you can show in a court of law that this was your idea on this date. If someone were to steal your idea after this has all started you at least have proof that this was your idea and that they obviously stole it from you. No court of law should let them get away with it.

Quarky is a good way to go if all you want to do is get a smaller check than what you deserve when everyone in the world wants what you invented. However they deserve a bigger piece of the pie because they took alot of the risk. They also have everything in place to develop and get it to market. That's cost them a great deal to get there.

Jusy be weary if someone wants a big chunk of money off the bat and they are not going to give anything to you but a consumer study. If after they hear your idea they want to assume partial risk then you may have something.

Bringing the next microwave or I-phone to the masses is like starting a business from scratch. It's not easy or cheap. To do it yourself be prepared to put your life and every cent you have into it. Just be careful for what & who you give your money to. If it's sounds to good to be true or they offer you the world if...then beware. Remember that most of invention companies and patent lawyers are in it to make money. For the most part they can care less if you get rich as long as they do.

 

I'm not sure how big this is, but if the spring idea wouldn't work what I envision is using a counterweight of sorts, or even a variable diameter pulley that could change the friction force against the load as you increased weight, effectively holding the weight by using friction in a transmission of sorts.

 

are you the Bacon Alarm clock guy>?

 

I'm super curious now... can you say what the microwave would do, without telling us too much?

I understand if you can't.

 

Not quite that big. But I see how it would be hard with my information. Basically it would be small about 3x3" to maybe a maximum or 5x5" attached to a larger object (not held). allowing a rope of 30-35' of length to repel things(1-maybe40 lbs) to the ground slowly.

It might end up having to be a few inches bigger to maybe the size of one of those retractable dog leads.

 

I cant. Because it would almost give it away. And some of you are smart so you might figure it out haha

 

I repeat: you do not need a working model. Descriptions, Drawings, and a single claim. Getting those RIGHT is the hard part. Along with, as you mention, an existing patent search.

http://www.uspto.gov/patents/resources/types/designapp.jsp#elements

The most famous "fairly recent" example is the microprocessor patent which was begun with a filing back in 1970. Gary Hyatt revised his patent filing application over the years through a protracted application process and was finally granted a patent around 1990. The first working microrocessor wasn't actually completed until 1971.

http://www.allgov.com/news/controve...croprocessorhyatt-v-patent-office?news=844054

 

Anyhow, you need to get the heck off of TW and spend more time on the US patent and trademark office site reading to figure out what exactly you need to be doing.

 

I know I know. It just seems overwhelming. Know what I mean?

 

I do. I know exactly what you mean.

It turns out one of these popular misconceptions is that you can have a really great idea, and that's all it takes to potentially make it big.

But, it turns out that having an idea is just a starting point. In order to turn it into anything other than a pipe dream takes a huge amount of money and work, the convincing of skeptical (or even hostile) people, and typically some luck and opportunity as well.