New product

[godoit]

Hi people

I have a new product of which there is nothing like it on the market and I'm going to go on dragons den and be a millionaire by Christmas. No one has ever done anything like this and all i need to do is get some money and get it made and then people will beg me for it. WOO HOO. (this is a joke)

and now on to a serious note. I have thought of a product and got the "fag packet" prototype down. I am going to get scale CAD drawing up so I can go to the next prototype (prototype 75). It is a merging of two current products and hopefully fulfils a need that the market has. My question is how do you get a patent to work. Think of IKEA furniture, I cant see much that you couldn't replicate but they have a big brand.
Obviously patent law demands I cant share my idea but if we take a fold down bunk bed for example, you can't patent much on it that isn't going to have a way that someone smart won't be able to get around the patent.

Do I bother with a patent or just go ahead?
How do you figure which bit is worth patenting?

Thanks
Simon

 

[Mark T Jones]

You can patent a process or technology, not an idea or design.

There are various other protections potentially available but the truth is, if it is commercially strong you will be copied - which could turn out to be a good thing

 

[godoit]

Thanks. I think that's my thoughts. If its good its going to be copied so better be ready for it.
Cheers

 

[Maple Sourcing]

Only an idea is not enough, you need real products at affordable price.

Go and find a factory in China to make it happen, do a small trial run to test your market, if it's promising, go to mass production.

Yes, try to register patent in UK and EU.

 

[Cococarb]

I have an idea of a static electricity ceiling - When switched ON all the dust, hair and small particles of whatever from the carpet goes into a bag automatically. - JOKE

You need a physical product don't you think? It may not be good as you think when actually implementing it.
Who knows, You could be in for millions so make it and get the patent. Otherwise Debra and Peter will be way too rough

Best of luck!

 

[F_B]

Sorry if this is a bit late. If you're considering patent protection I recommend exploring it early (certainly before you disclose the product).

I'd recommend visiting a local patent agents who will be able to tell you if it is eligible for patent protection, or offer a search to determine what scope of patent protection it would be likely to achieve.

The Chartered Institute of Patent attorneys offer free IP clinics in many major libraries where you can talk to a patent agent in confidence for free:
http://www.cipa.org.uk/need-advice/ip-clinics/

A good indication of whether something is "patentable" is if it was developed to solve a particular problem. Using your fold down bunk bed as an example, while its components may be known, if no one has invented a folding bunk bed before then you may be able to get a patent for it.

 

[godoit]

That's great. @FrazerBye I will get into it. I guess I will need the drawings and a rough written blurb about it before the IP Clinic, closest one is 2.5 hours away from me.

 

[F_B]

@SBK Simon -You're welcome. The more you take with you, the more you will likely get out of it. If for whatever reason the clinic is unhelpful you're welcome to discuss your invention in confidence with myself.

 

[godoit]

Hi Guys
Just a wee update ( i know so many things get left in the world of the internet rather than a conclusion, I enjoyed @Pish_Pash running commentary on the interest from a big retail store) i managed to get a half day IP event tomorrow so off to find some more patent advice. A couple of workshops and a 121 int the afternoon with lunch included ( always love lunch included). Any advice on the questions I should be asking would be great?
On prototype number 7 of the actual product so will see and may keep a running commentary myself.
Thanks so far to everyone and thanks @FrazerBye for pointing me in the right direction

 

[Pish_Pash]

Hi Guys
Just a wee update ( i know so many things get left in the world of the internet rather than a conclusion, I enjoyed @Pish_Pash running commentary on the interest

& a sorry tale it was to!

To give some conclusion to that story .....fortunately, I wriggled out of having to do the £7,000 write off of the 'sale or return' stock that I'd handed them, but only because they messed up by sending me a settlement cheque accidentally - thankfully in a big company, quite often the right hand (Accounts team) doesn't know what the left hand (product manager team) are doing!

I've lost the (big) customer though....not that I think they would have re-ordered anyway.....so no harm done there I guess... but it was certainly a baptism of fire & I've decided that I prefer a quieter life growing my business organically.

 

[godoit]

Hi Guys

I went on a webinar on patent searching and it was the best way to actually understand the searching process and am now confident it can be patented. Also had the Cad drawing done and its looking good. Glad I had them done by someone that knows how to do it (it took me ages to figure out how to draw a line).
Anyhow I'm about to build a scaled up prototype and a need a hinge which i'm sure is very common but am figuring out what to call it and therefore can't search for it. I have been to the trades shops and cant find it so I wonder if I could use the power of the forum to guide me.

Essentially i need a hinge like a shoe rack without the middle bit. it needs to stop at a 90 degree angle and be able to be weight bearing (about the weight of a small child). I have looked at pivot hinges and the prices are either huge or the wont take any weight and looked at a couple of others like piano hinge but just cant make it work. My best thought is the pic below type of hinge with a stopper. Any ideas where else to look?

 

[Shopclicks]

Search 'cupboard stays'

http://www.eurofitdirect.co.uk/hinges-stays-catches/cupboard-stays/

If the surface needs to support the weight of a 'small child', you really need to ensure the construction material will support the fixtures (hinge & stays).

No idea what the 'object' is but you could also consider supporting the horizontal surface from underneath.

 

[godoit]

Hi shopclicks.
Thanks. It's the look of cupboard stays I have found that doesn't work. I needs to be hidden. I will have a longer look.
It is supported underneath also and this is an extra support for one corner.
Thanks

 

[godoit]

Hi again
Thanks so much for the search term. On the chat with misumi to see what they have.....
Cheers

 

[godoit]

May pop this into a new thread but also wanted this too keep going as it's a good history thread.
So got accepted into a business accelerator today, intake in Feb and lasts three months. It's a new programming by entrepreneur sparks based in Edinburgh.

Anyone have any experience.? I don't know much about them other than the blurb on the web. Essentially I want it as office space, social side of other business people and help me structure for r and d grants.

 

[godoit]

So a wee update after the Christmas break, I have decided to go with the business accelerator (its free and has office space) and push to get the product ready for investment. I am over my head with the prototype now so spoke to the local uni product design department to give me hand, my issues with the frame will be sorted soon and then we will hopefully set some design comps for the students and see what comes of it.
I have a timeline to get us ready for the toy fair in Germany next year with hopefully a test amount sold to be ready for the big fishes in the our pond.

question that came up today in a meeting was, I should design everything now for investment and was my plan angel or crowd funding. So my understanding was equity sold and (hopefully a good sales contact book) for angel and crowdfunding was no equity but no angel to help. I like the idea of a sales contact which could cut through a few months work but would prefer 100%.
Has anyone made this choice before or designed for both?

 

[Webzsuite.com]

You can patent a process or technology, not an idea or design.

There are various other protections potentially available but the truth is, if it is commercially strong you will be copied - which could turn out to be a good thing

Not true, of course that you can patent the design.. It is called design patent.

 

[The Byre]

Musicians and film crew road cases are full of stuff like that and they come in all shapes and sizes. Check out the company 'Adam Hall' and look for the words 'Stop Hinge'. They retail at about 50p to £1 each.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Not true, of course that you can patent the design.. It is called design patent.

Please can you show me where design patent exists in the UK?

 

[Webzsuite.com]

Please can you show me where design patent exists in the UK?

If you want to protect something that you own, you need to patent it in few more places, than just UK. (China/USA are always the main countries where you have to patent your design patents).

A little wider approach is a good practice. Sometimes people really cannot think more than just 1 step ahead (especially with such a product you need to patent your IP in China and USA, if you would deploy something in UK, that would become a good seller, than you can put your UK patents into a drawer. For obvious reasons.)

 

[JamieM]

Please can you show me where design patent exists in the UK?

In the UK it's called a design registration but essentially the same as a design patent in the US for example.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-design/check-if-you-can-register-your-design