How to Get Your Invention Made
According to the website Power Home Biz.com, one of the top hair styling inventions of recent history, the Topsy Tail, made over $100 million. Stories like this have many inventors dreaming that their own brainstorm will line their pockets with gold. However, the process from a brainstorm to releasing a product on the market is a lengthy one that takes patience.
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Things You'll Need
- Notebook
- Pencil
- Coat hangers
- Pipe cleaner
- Nondisclosure form
- Phone book
Instructions
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Document your idea thoroughly, including the dates for each entry. Sketch your idea out completely, labeling each part and describe the idea and what it does and come up with variations. Then have the sketches notarized for authenticity. If you ever have to prove that your idea is yours, this document will help you to prove the date that you had your idea.
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Search the United States Patent website (uspto.gov) to see if the idea has already been patented. Study all the patents that are filed in a similar category to see if your idea is feasible. Other resources for researching the feasibility of your idea include inventor's associations and professional patent searchers. While you do this, you should also learn all you can about the inventing process through books and inventor's associations. Ascertain what the costs to produce your product will be, and the feasibility of producing the product. Some of the costs that you must factor in to your production include the fees for trademarking, promotion, molds and packaging, naming, distribution and mark-up. Some sources for these figures include your local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce and the phone book.
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Create a basic prototype. This prototype can be made of simple materials such as pipe cleaners or coat hangers. It will help you to see if your idea works, and give you an idea for modifications.
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Create a nondisclosure form. This is a simple form to protect you against anyone who you might show your prototype and ideas to, stating that you own the idea and the materials. Once you have a nondisclosure form, it is safe to show your invention to prospective investors, prototypers, manufacturers, product developers, packagers, lawyers or others who might help you bring your idea to market.
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Have a professional prototype made. A professional prototype is a high quality model that may be shown to potential retail buyers.
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Patent your idea. To patent your idea you must first apply for a provisional patent. A provisional patent is good for one year, and will secure your idea as you go through the process of applying for a nonprovisional patent. You can download the application for a provisional patent at the US Patent office website. However, you may wish to secure a patent attorney to help you through the process of applying for a non-provisional patent.
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Decide whether you wish to manufacture your product yourself, or you want to license your product to a manufacturer. If you want to license your product to a manufacturer, you will need to meet with potential manufacturers until you find one that wants to manufacture your product. At that point, you should hire a licensing agent to negotiate a license between you and the manufacturer. Manufacturing your product yourself will require you to hire a manufacturer to create the product as well as warehouse the product yourself. You will also have to find distributors and market your product yourself and keep your own books.
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