How to Get a Easy Patent for an Invention

Without a patent, a product can struggle to be successful.

Patents are legal ways to make sure that an idea you've come up with remains entirely yours. Obtaining a patent can be incredibly hard work, especially if trying to do it with a limited budget or without a lawyer. There are three main types of patents to distinguish between, not to mention that maybe someone else with your idea already patented it. But don't be disheartened. There is a way to make this process a little bit easier.

Things You'll Need

• Your product's information

Instructions

1. Review the types of patents and the things needed to get one. There are three main types of patents: utility, which means that a product does something that the world has never seen; design, which means legally protecting the design of a product, even though its function may be completely old fashioned and a plant patent, which many farmers use when they want to protect a new breed of plant they have produced. Each of these patents requires a lengthy and possibly expensive route to achieve (the total alone could be anywhere between $3,000 and $10,000 just for the lawyer, not to mention any patent application fees). If you have the money, hiring a lawyer will be the easiest route. If not, you need to look into a Provisional Patent Application (PPA).

2. Study PPA's--these are good for one year (to the day) and can help in more than one way. A PPA only requires minor information on the application. This may also be helpful before sending a product to manufacturers because they cannot legally copy your idea, and it will make it safer to test the market for your product to see if and how many potential buyers exist.

3. Fill out all the forms necessary for a PPA. Manufacture some prototypes and test the market by asking around to see if anyone likes the idea. If there are enough buyers, sell the product from your home and use the money to file for a legitimate and more permanent patent. If there are no buyers, then you didn't waste too much money in the process and your idea is still safe

4. File the patent within the year. Ensure that if planning to file one of the three more permanent patents, do so within the year of obtaining the PPA. Otherwise, you may not only lose your rights when the year is over, you may also find that you cannot get a patent for the same idea because your other patent (the PPA) is a competitor. It's a big mess after that.

5. Move forward and get a lawyer if you believe an idea is worth pursuing. Obtain a loan, if necessary--but if your idea is truly amazing--there will be no problem paying off the difference later.

References

• "Inventing for Dummies;" Pamela Riddle Bird; 2004
• Inc.: Obtaining Your Own Patent Should be Easy
• United States Patent and Trademark Office: Information

Resources

• Edison Nation: Dashboard