How to Patent a Manufacturing Process
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is responsible for reviewing patent applications and issuing patents to inventors to protect their inventions from duplication by others for profit. There are three types of patents: utility, design, and plant. Manufacturing processes are protected by utility patents for about 20 years from the patent's application date.
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Instructions
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Prepare
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1
Complete the Declaration for Utility or Design Patent Application.
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2
Create a description of the manufacturing process that satisfies the requirements of United States Code Title 35, Section 112 as a .pdf or .txt file.
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3
Produce illustrations of the manufacturing process, if it better explains the process' functionality, that satisfy the requirements of United States Code Title 35, Section 113 as a .pdf file.
Apply
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4
Register online as an e-Filer with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
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5
Select the "Utility" and "Nonprovisional application" options of the "New application" section.
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6
Enter application data, including the manufacturing process name, inventor name, address, and telephone number.
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7
Upload the completed Declaration, as well as the invention description and illustrations.
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8
Pay the necessary fees of about $2,600 (current pricing as of January 2010).
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9
Submit application.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Maintenance fees are required during the fourth, eighth, and 12th years of patent protection.
