Inventions or new products

[threeforthree]

I got a crazy good idea, in my head ,and in a couple other people I consoled in and let them try it , we in the industry said and thought, why did not some one come up with this idea sooner. What process have you had to use to make a product come to life ,,with not going to the shark tank in the 1st year,,sorry I will not disclose product....

[Fowler]

It would all depend on what the product is and how it has to be marketed or what it takes to put it together to determine where you need to start. I have a number of products and to put them together and get them in stores has required a number of things one would not think of such as upc codes, liability insurance and a whole bunch of other things.

[Suka]

As mentioned above, the problem is marketing. (after you've solved manufacturing). Products now pretty much have to be tailored to the retailer's specs if you want to sell them.

Wish I could help more; I wish you nothing but the best of luck. Not to dissuade your ambition but I suspect if Thomas Edison were 20 yrs old today we'd have never heard of him. (although I suspect if he hadn't worked in a patent office we never would have heard of him anyway, but that's another story. :thinking-017: )

Seriously if you have something that CAN be patented, talk to a patent lawyer; read up on patent limitations prior.

[winged1]

clarify ownership. Perform a basic market analysis, identifying your target market. Secure trade names, search potential infringements. Test market. Sell, while prospecting for investors. I've had the pleasure of working with several excellent sales type who can move product throughout the chain. Legal advise is a good investment right from the beginning. Make sure you check all references.

[twofifty]

How much would it cost to obtain a Canadian patent for your idea/design?

[masalma]

Helped a friend that had an idea.

It was an oil field tool to make the job easier and safer. Patent cost was around $4000 and takes a long time. Made a few units and set up meetings with oil companies, sold a bit. Then licensed the tool to a big manufacturer. Just signed the deal a few weeks ago.

Make sure to get a patent, and also safety certified. And do your research before investing serious money into it.

[pottymouth]

Start with a proto type. Then seek a patent( even though, they can be easy to work around) Then look to manufacturer.. Then Go sell the product!

or

Sell the idea, and the plans to someone, and get a royalty return.

[threeforthree]

My worry is when we take it to some one to build, we would have to have a patten or, they sign a disclouse to build the item...its not rocket science (the product) but makes our daily life in the patch a dream,,on my own proto type when guys come over for a short one and try it, just shake their heads,,,my issue I guess is to find a manufacture+patten to make a few thousand to take to market..I work for many oil and gas companys, so getting the product to the field would be easy.

[twofifty]

Helped a friend that had an idea.

It was an oil field tool to make the job easier and safer. Patent cost was around $4000 and takes a long time. Made a few units and set up meetings with oil companies, sold a bit. Then licensed the tool to a big manufacturer. Just signed the deal a few weeks ago.

Make sure to get a patent, and also safety certified. And do your research before investing serious money into it.

Very cool for you masalma. If your tool improves productivity, your royalties will make a multi-millionaire out of you.

I will pass on the patent info on this thread to a father whose son has invented a new process to manufacture snowboards.

[twofifty]

My worry is when we take it to some one to build, we would have to have a patten or, they sign a disclouse to build the item...its not rocket science (the product) but makes our daily life in the patch a dream,,on my own proto type when guys come over for a short one and try it, just shake their heads,,,my issue I guess is to find a manufacture+patten to make a few thousand to take to market..I work for many oil and gas companys, so getting the product to the field would be easy.

As an internet lawyer, my unsolicited (pun intended) advice is that you layer up/combine your defences:

- Canada and US patents.
- plus non-disclosure contracts in which the people you are negotiating a deal with acknowledge your patent rights.
- Since there is an oil patch on other continents, have a strategy to protect yourself elsewhere.

[Cool Critter]

My worry is when we take it to some one to build, we would have to have a patten or, they sign a disclouse to build the item...its not rocket science (the product) but makes our daily life in the patch a dream,,on my own proto type when guys come over for a short one and try it, just shake their heads,,,my issue I guess is to find a manufacture+patten to make a few thousand to take to market..I work for many oil and gas companys, so getting the product to the field would be easy.

Checkout Design 1st they have offices all over. I am currently in the process with them so I can say they are pretty good at Understanding the concept and doing the ground work.

Do not call the adds on t.v. LOL I can tell you from experience it's a waste of time and money.
If you have any questions feel free to PM me and I can talk to you further. I had the same reservations as you. I sat on my idea for several years being unsure were to go and who to trust.

Good Luck

P.S It's probably best you don't show off your idea any further to people. IMO People do strange things when there is money to be made.

[lmtada]

Did the same. Had Idea, went to tool maker to make a prototype. Toolmaker patented my idea. I was ****ed. I learned, Patented other tools to increase speed, efficiency. Sell your product. :argue2::argue2:


Helped a friend that had an idea.

It was an oil field tool to make the job easier and safer. Patent cost was around $4000 and takes a long time. Made a few units and set up meetings with oil companies, sold a bit. Then licensed the tool to a big manufacturer. Just signed the deal a few weeks ago.

Make sure to get a patent, and also safety certified. And do your research before investing serious money into it.

[dumoulin]

Don't spend you life savings to find out there's no market. Build a few then get orders. Worry about building more after the orders have come in.

Good luck! :)

[Sushi]

If you have an idea, build a prototype in privacy to test and prove it is worthwhile. And sit with a lawyer you trust before sharing your idea with Anyone outside of your inner circle.

[densa44]

The problem is the money, and they. the people with the money will be the ones who make the money, no matter what. Most inventors die broke. Don't put a lot of your/friends money into this, get legal help, and licence it to a manufacturer.

I hope you get rich.

[waterninja]

I have been been self employed manufacturing reliable products at a reasonable price for about 25 yrs. I have dealt directly with the person buying my products, with small retail stores and with the biggest companies in Canada. I have seen my products in peoples yards and homes wherever I travel hunting or fishing. Even saw one of my products in a super bowl commercial. I bet a lot of AO members have one of my products in their home or yard. I never got rich, but have mostly managed to pay the bills (did have a problem with Rev. Can. 12 yrs. ago over gst).
Biggest obstacles I've encounterd is all the bureaucratic BS and paperwork you have to wade through. Another major problem with dealing with large companies is getting invoices paid in a timely manner.
I wish the OP luck with his new product and I suggest he look at the requirements and guidelines to see if his idea even qualifies for a patent. Either way, if he decides to manufacture and sell his product be prepared to jump through a lot of hoops and deal with a ton of paperwork.

[fish_e_o]

we've had a million guys come through the door and try to build something

it's always interesting i guess.

[omega50]

Too late buddy.
Someone beat you to it!:sHa_shakeshout:

[threeforthree]

Too late buddy.
Someone beat you to it!:sHa_shakeshout:

Darn it

[Stinky Buffalo]

I agree with what many have posted here; keep it on the down-low as much as you can until you are sufficiently protected.

I have worked with several inventors over the course of my career, and their biggest weakness is disclosing their ideas before they are ready for market and manufacture.

One in particular stands out - he left his a huge folio of research with a potential investor, who promptly beat him to market with his own product.

Best of luck with your invention! I hope you have lots of success with it.

[edmhunter]

Get a International Patent first! "PRA"

Then study your manufacturing costs, develop a pricing schedule, hit the road with your prototype with date certain delivery timelines and Sell, Sell, Sell.

Follow your dream, because if you do not you will always wonder! I hope you succeed BIG TIME!

Best of luck. :)

[tri777]

Stay the h** away from people who are overly excited about your idea.

[Red Bullets]

From idea to having your product on the shelf usually takes approximately 7 years. The canadian patent process can be done in stages so it is not one big payment but several small payments over a couple years. And Canadian patents aren't as important as US patents.

You should go on Strategis website and do a search of existing patents very first. Go to the website and learn about the process too.

http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/h_wr00001.html?OpenDocument


Good Luck.

[Sooner]

What do the Dragons and Sharks do when the person says they have they have the patents on a really good product. Their eyes light up. Then they want to partner and sell the idea and get a royalty. Seems to me this is the way to go, cover your butt in Patents, show you have sold some and then sell the idea to the highest bidder and let someone else handle the corporate stuff. You collect the monthly checks. As mentioned, hope your idea goes good and makes you rich. Protect your idea with whoever builds it, kinda crappy a tool maker would screw ya but i see it happens from the above poster. Good Luck