Should I Get A Patent?

[cabinetman]

If you have a good idea and you can afford it, it may not be a bad idea. Over the years I came up with several ideas that I thought were patentable. It can cost several grand. Some of those ideas were already in the making. Others were not. It's hard to tell what will be a "marketable" item. The problem I have with the concept is that taking an idea to a marketable item can prove to be a problem.

I know from reading posts on this forum that members come up with some really great ideas, especially Niki. And, to those that think that there idea is unique have thought about going that extra step with it. I'll be the last person to discourage new products. Many of those improve on shop safety, like "Saw Stop".

It may be interesting to hear if any members have patents, and what they went through. Or, if any members are recipients of "royalties" on the sales of a product. Who would have thunk that boxing up an ordinary rock with a piece of paper with an explanation of how to train it would make millions. After that, having people send in their little boxed rock to go on a world trip, would make more millions.

[LCHIEN]

I have 8, all in my name but held by the companies for which I worked at the time.

Patents are for the most part, greatly misunderstood by the public.

According to my web research, the pet rock never received a patent.
The name was probably trademarked, along with the clever "manual".
According to Wikipedia, the fad only lasted 6 months. There would not have been enough time to pursue much in the way of legal action.
Copyrights are claimed by simple declarations on the materials.
Trademarks are received by simply filing them with the PTO (Patent and trademark office)
Patents require preparation by a qualified lawyer, and application fees, a lengthy approval process (taking several years) and require maintenance fees to maintain in effect. Frankly its not worth getting unless you have the will and means to back it up (e.g. sue all violators). Nowadays, the PTO tends to accept patents (because of ther increasing complexity) but the the real test is in court, rather than being absolute protection. One of the biggest reasons for corporations patenting things is the patent portfolio - if they come anywhere close to possibly infringing on another cos'. patent, they trade and cross license portfolios, and possibly pay royalties. The day and age of personal inventors has sort of come and gone.

There was a lengthy discussion on Patents a few months (year or more?) ago:
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...hlight=patents