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View Full Version : Protecting an invention?


Whuffle
Aug 10, 2005, 08:41 AM
Can anyone advise me please?

I have an over-active, caffeine-driven mind! LOL, and frequently come-up with ideas.

Often these come to nothing, but some of my ideas might be worth pursuing.

However: I cannot afford the cost of patenting, and I am concerned about divuldging my ideas to potential investors or companies. IF the idea is worthwhile, they could simply steal the idea and develop it themselves.

Does anyone know how to go-about finding an investor while remaining protected somehow?

tjr
Sep 3, 2005, 07:55 AM
I know how you feel I have also come up with a few ideas that I cannot afford to pusue at this time and I'm also worried about having my ideas stolen
I am not sure how legal this is but I have been doing it for a couple of years.
I write out my idea with all the particulars and send it to myself by registered
Mail when I get it back I file it that way if it ever becomes nessasary I have proof of when I came up with the idea. Hope this helps,and if you know the legalities of this approach I'd like to know,thanks

Stopped for a bit
Nov 19, 2005, 02:35 AM
Hmmm... only just arrived here, sorry about the delay... traffic... you know how it is...

I'm lost anyway... looking for the GFT Thread... but while I'm here...

Patent:- Is a "pay as you go" affair. Drop out any time you like. Before you waste your money search for similar ideas (uk & europe) here:-
http://gb.espacenet.com/search97cgi/s97_cgi.exe?Action=FormGen&Template=gb/en/quick.hts

You could try a "Letter of confidentiallity". Given to Investor / manufacturer to sign (dated) which states that they will not impart the information of your discussions to anyone else. Copies with Solicitors. This can be as detailed as you like.

Would do no harm to do the registered letter thing as well.

It should be noted that none of the above are a guarantee. All things evolve and a slight variation can make all the difference.

Now... must go...

... lets see... straight on at the home page... Left at Science... 3rd exit at Inventions roundabout...

philly4458
Dec 8, 2007, 01:00 AM
I've had ideas and paid thousands of dollars to Invention submisiion corp and other marketing firms to promote and patent search my product to no avail. There are big firms who are not honest that will take any idea bad or good so be careful to do complete patent search a patent lawyer will charge you from $5k to 10k to file a patent at the PTO in Washington D.C. and even then the examineer can ask for an amendenment which can cost more.

Now what can I do if I have a simple idea that does't require a lot of material to make
But don't have the engineering skill to make a prototype?





Philly