How hard is it to get a patent?

[Grminalac]

In my spare time I have been designing a new type of seatbelt that acts like a shock, giving the belt 2-3 inches of travel with increasing resistance before stopping completely. I did this because my ex girlfriend was in an accident and had several ribs broken from the seatbelt locking up. I figure it might help save some lives. I'm not sure what i need to do exactly and or if anyone else has created an device like this. (if they have why don't automakers use it as it is inexpensive)
I looked around for information and saw sights that basically steal your idea and pay you part of the money and a lot of b.s. involving tons of perpwork at the us patent ofiice.

Has anyone invented and or patented anything before and can offer suggestions?

 

[Nocturnal]

I'm pretty sure it costs some money to get it patented, correct me if I am wrong.

 

[ElFenix]

not hard... hell you can patent IMing... or 1 click purchasing!

 

[WinkOsmosis]

It can be hard. My high school physics teacher invented an electric motor that a certain large automaker may buy... but I think he's been waiting for the patent for a couple years.

 

[Howard]

Terribly soory, Grimnilica

Bah, you're nayme is hared too speel.

 

[johneetrash]

good idea but yah it's taken..

and if i had an idea for a product i woudlnt talk about it in a popular public forum until i had patents

 

[Hooobi]

Actually, just because someone's got a seatbelt with some give to it, doesn't mean that you can't patent your idea. For instance, they could have a patent on a special fiber composition or arrangement or compilation of materials in a belt, whereas you could have a mechanical mechanism in the belt housing to give it a certain amount of give. These two ideas would be patentably distinct.

Expect to pay around $10k and wait 2-3 years for your average patent. Simpler concepts may end up running as little as $5k. However, you should always go to a real patent law firm and not those companies that promise to patent and/or market your idea. There are different types of patents and 1000 different theories on how to best get a patent. Thus, you could end up with a worthless sheet of paper or some serious protection, depending on who does it for you.

Also, avoid giving anyone rights in your patent if possible b/c even if someone owns only 1% of your patent, they will have just as much right as you to go out and license it to people, or build it themselves, etc.

Anyway, good luck. If you have any questions, feel free to pm me.

 

[dmcowen674]

Good luck.

It appears these days they are giving out Patents like they're going out of style. They just issued a Patent to a couple of guys here in Georgia for a "Cabinet Tower with many air holes and a fan to force cooled air over heat generating equipment in the cabinet". Yes, you heard right, these guys own your PC Cabinet and will come looking to collect fees from everyone in the world shortly I'm sure.

 

[ChrisIsBored]

You can also patent hyperlinking.... well.. too late.. someone already did. Yeah it's pretty easy... :disgust:

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: ChrisIsBored
You can also patent hyperlinking.... well.. too late.. someone already did. Yeah it's pretty easy... :disgust:

Yes, British Telecom did that.

SBC is now sueing thousands of websites all over the country and sending more letters out everyday as they were just given a Patent for Frames on websites.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: Grminalac
In my spare time I have been designing a new type of seatbelt that acts like a shock, giving the belt 2-3 inches of travel with increasing resistance before stopping completely. I did this because my ex girlfriend was in an accident and had several ribs broken from the seatbelt locking up. I figure it might help save some lives. I'm not sure what i need to do exactly and or if anyone else has created an device like this. (if they have why don't automakers use it as it is inexpensive)
I looked around for information and saw sights that basically steal your idea and pay you part of the money and a lot of b.s. involving tons of perpwork at the us patent ofiice.

Has anyone invented and or patented anything before and can offer suggestions?

To even have a worthwhile patent you would need Federal transportation safty certification. Considering it will take at least one crash test and probably more (at $30,000 a test). You have to ask yourself, is it worth it? Those several inches can actually be more dangerous than the broken ribs. Personally I would rather break my ribs than have a broken neck or plaster my face against the windshield. You have to understand, airbags were the supplemental system to reduce the severity of accidents at the speeds that would be necessary to break ribs with a seatbelt. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.