Does anyone here have any experience with patenting something?

[DarkManX]

my dad came up with some nice ideas, mostly on different type of engines, and 1 medical. How do the projects/ideas have to be presented to the pattent office? and where can I get an application?

 

[jadinolf]

My suggestion is to see a patent attorney. This is is not something that most folks can handle by themselves.

 

[GoldenBear]

I take credit for NEFs.

 

[DarkManX]

we found a few attorneys both were pretty expensive. and the commercials also seem shady to me. once you show them your idea its not very safe.

 

[Azraele]

Why not try calling the patent office and see what they say?

 

[~zonker~]

Been through a patent application and acctually got the patnet. It's a haven for laywers to make money and be prepared to spen a lot of time explaining the idea(s) to a laywer. They need to do a lot of research, looking for 'prior art' and applicable patnets for reference.. It's a time conusimg money eating process. Very often the first application is denied by the patent office and the reason stated, so you get to resubmit based on the initial review..

Figure $10-$20K and well over a year, if you're lucky before you get a patent..

 

[DarkManX]

how do the ideas have to be presented? drawings? cad?

 

[~zonker~]

I don't really know the exact format of the patent... there are lots of instructions and examples of patents at the patent site

Patent Office Web Site

you can search for similar patents and also view exactly how they are composed there as well