Patent Search

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
15,617
838
58
La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
It's a very basic idea. I've already written some descriptions but I'm gearing up for more. Does the attorney not assist with this in some way? Or, do I simply submit it for his review?
The attorney - or any other near-legal or patent person - can only help you with wording of your description, but he or she does not know what is the essence of your invention and what makes it different from billions of others.
Many of them are fairly pushy - you may find right away that exactly the same thing has already been invented, yet they will keep offering you changes in the description that they think may make it sneak under the radar of the patent office.
By the time you've finished writing the description, you won't recognize it.
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
The attorney - or any other near-legal or patent person - can only help you with wording of your description, but he or she does not know what is the essence of your invention and what makes it different from billions of others.
Many of them are fairly pushy - you may find right away that exactly the same thing has already been invented, yet they will keep offering you changes in the description that they think may make it sneak under the radar of the patent office.
By the time you've finished writing the description, you won't recognize it.

I sure hope not. Should know by Wednesday.
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
I already did!
Ha!

I had a patent application once that I thought for sure was a slam dunk. I knew the area inside and out, worked with others who knew it even better than I did - we all thought it was completely novel.

I did a search on USPTO, WIPO and Derwent - found nothing. Got the preliminary examination from WIPO - they found nothing.

Then the International Search Report came out. Another examiner found a British patent from 1966 that had an example (didn't claim my invention, but no matter) that was EXACTLY what I had done....

I spent a year working on that (about half of my time).

Fuuuuuuuuuccccck.

Dude stole my idea before I even had it.:banghead:
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
Just head back from the lawyer, no such patent or anything close exists, it can be written up 'as is'. I'm in shock right now. I guess all I can do is pay the money for the provisional patent and come on here and have everyone here dog me on the idea of give me virtual hi-5's.
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
Thanks everyone. I'm afraid if I spill my idea here I'll get ripped a new one. I've located 4 companies so far that could bankroll, develop and sell this product. Now, how do I get in front of the decision makers?

Rubbermaid
Otto
Waste Management
Rehrig Pacific Company
Toter
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
Thanks everyone. I'm afraid if I spill my idea here I'll get ripped a new one. I've located 4 companies so far that could bankroll, develop and sell this product. Now, how do I get in front of the decision makers?

Rubbermaid
Otto
Waste Management
Rehrig Pacific Company
Toter

Good job!

You might want to hire a consultant who has connections to help you market this. There are guys who are ex-execs of various companies that are retired who have connections across different industries.

GLG Consulting is someone we've used in the past with success. It may take doing a few consulting calls to find the right fit for you though. You're looking for someone with product and market knowledge who knows the right people and can open their doors. Finding that guy (gal) is like finding the Golden Ticket.
 

Blue

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
10,043
856
AZ
My wife said the same exact thing. I'm in sales, I can do this an save money in the long term. Already got a call back from Toter!

That's funny. My wife & I have an idea that we've been exploring and one company on your list (Rubbermaid) would be a contender. Sounds like your product idea is a bit bigger or heavier duty.
 
Best of luck.

In '91, I spent thousands of dollars and hours and hours in the PTO in DC, only to find that Hewlett-Packard had a habit of challenging everything that even related to patents they held.

In today's world, if I come up with an idea, I make one, try it, offer it for sale and spend what I might have spent on protecting it on improving the product, the process, and the marketing.

I brought two products to market in 2018 and can go back to spending money on machinery/materials/education and deduct those expenses as R&D as I've proven to the IRS that I'm not just claiming to be conducting R&D. Hopefully, I can come up with another product in the next five years to keep the IRS off my back.
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
Well it's a bust, mostly. I have reached out to Toter, Sunbeam, Waste Management, Rubbermaid, Reynolds Brands, Cascade Carts, Rehrig Pacific, IPL, Otto and more. It seems to be a good 'ol boy industry and they don't want me to upset their Apple Cart. Short of forcing the demand (getting public to scream for development) how can I licences this thing? Does everyone understand this concept? Know I may get drilled here but let me have it. Odd chance anyone here can help? Just want to licence the patent, don't want to start a company.

56133


Second Design, doesn't effect ANSI regulations.

56134
Designed to prevent this:

56132
 
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