patent idea.. can i patent things like this? Video Added! Secrets out! :)

[wirednuts]

OK screw it. here it is! you take my idea and patent it i WILL hunt you down

new video made-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=8bq16o2oJ18

really, the best part is the hook. its EASILY replaceable. just a coat hanger strung through a hole in the top, and secured by the lock ring. most shop lights, when the hook breaks the whole thing is basically useless.

ill get better video up soon, with a breakdown and some actual light action. it wouldnt look like much right now being sunny and all... and sorry about the blurriness. lens was dirty.











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i dont really know anything about patening. i should, because i make things all the time.

just in general though, because of course i cant explain in detail, can you patent an product that isnt much more then existing parts put together?

the parts are not related to eachother, i can assue you nothing like this exists on the market. basically, it is a very bright, virtually break proof work light. its also easy to make if you have decent skills.

im not saying it would sell well on a market, because the parts alone cost $20 and like i said it is easy to make. but it could easily sell for $40 because there just isnt anything this good- and i could probably make 100 of them per day just myself so i figure it would be a good thing to sell to people i know.

the only reason i want a patent is just in case.. just in case someone else mass produces them. god that would be awesome...

 

[KeithTalent]

Apparently you can patent gestures, so I don't see why not.

KT

 

[phucheneh]

Patenting is not cheap. At all. If you want to acquire and keep a patent, you better have a model set up to make money off it (or be a giant troll like Apple).

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

OP, for your use, you don't really need a patent. You just apply for one so, you can use "Pat. Pending" for your short term protection.

 

[Pray To Jesus]

There are two kind of patents, utility patents and design patents.

You can do it yourself for cheap if you're willing to put in the effort to learn how to do one properly. You need to buy this book: Patent it Yourself

If you want help with the patent by a professional, then it's going to cost between 8-15k.

 

[Pray To Jesus]

OP, for your use, you don't really need a patent. You just apply for one so, you can use "Pat. Pending" for your short term protection.

He will need the patent really soon when they switch to first to file on 03/16/13.

 

[wirednuts]

maybe i should just go to the as seen on tv guys

or shark tank

ugh. so if i dont have money i cant protect my ideas? i mean, this is so simple yet so effective that if i posted it online i would imagine it would become a very popular diy project for most people...

 

[Dirigible]

maybe i should just go to the as seen on tv guys

or shark tank

ugh. so if i dont have money i cant protect my ideas? i mean, this is so simple yet so effective that if i posted it online i would imagine it would become a very popular diy project for most people...

You can get a patent quite cheaply yourself. Those patents usually suck though. There are also patent attorneys that do pro bono (free patent work) for deserving poor people. Kind of hard to find those though.

It's not hopeless but it'll take some work on your part.

 

[Dirigible]

OP, for your use, you don't really need a patent. You just apply for one so, you can use "Pat. Pending" for your short term protection.

That does nothing without eventually getting a patent stemming from the application.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

That does nothing without eventually getting a patent stemming from the application.

No, it gets you limited protection until the next step of the patent process. Basically, you're banking on the glacially slow process which should be good enough to make a buck in the short run. I mean, it's a work light. We're not talking about an iLight. Crap, I've said too much!

 

[nanette1985]

Yes you can patent something that is not much more than existing parts put together.

Alas, your patent will be only as good as the amount of money you put into it.

Good luck.

 

[dud]

i dont really know anything about patening. i should, because i make things all the time.

just in general though, because of course i cant explain in detail, can you patent an product that isnt much more then existing parts put together?

the parts are not related to eachother, i can assue you nothing like this exists on the market. basically, it is a very bright, virtually break proof work light. its also easy to make if you have decent skills.

im not saying it would sell well on a market, because the parts alone cost $20 and like i said it is easy to make. but it could easily sell for $40 because there just isnt anything this good- and i could probably make 100 of them per day just myself so i figure it would be a good thing to sell to people i know.

the only reason i want a patent is just in case.. just in case someone else mass produces them. god that would be awesome...

OP, I would start with learning how to write and to punctuate. You might want to hire a patent attorney who has these skills ...

 

[DrPizza]

maybe i should just go to the as seen on tv guys

or shark tank

ugh. so if i dont have money i cant protect my ideas? i mean, this is so simple yet so effective that if i posted it online i would imagine it would become a very popular diy project for most people...

If it's a popular diy project, then patenting it would be a waste of money. There's nothing you're going to be able to do to stop people from making it for themselves or making it for small markets.

 

[Mixolydian]

Too late OP, I just patented it. :sneaky:

 

[phucheneh]

There are two kind of patents, utility patents and design patents.

You can do it yourself for cheap if you're willing to put in the effort to learn how to do one properly. You need to buy this book: Patent it Yourself

If you want help with the patent by a professional, then it's going to cost between 8-15k.

AFAIK the only thing you can do fairly cheaply is placehold. You're limited on the time you have to move up to a 'real' patent, an at that time, you're paying the yearly fees no matter what.

edit: pardon me, not yearly. Fee schedule.

 

[wirednuts]

If it's a popular diy project, then patenting it would be a waste of money. There's nothing you're going to be able to do to stop people from making it for themselves or making it for small markets.

youre either being serious or just trying to get me to post the idea LOLOLOL jk

im so proud of it... ive tried to make a tough good work light for years.... usually wasnt bright enough, but never this strong either. this thing is comfortable to hold, its compact, and i could easily kill people with it if i had to. i would survive at least a 10ft drop to concrete... likely survive 40ft honestly.

and even if it does break, there is no glue. everything is locked together very cleverly. like i said, it took me a long time to finally come up with this, but the result is just awesome. most of the parts are available at home depot, you just have to get the right size for everything.

i should probably just start making and selling them locally. screw the patent, because if these were ever to be made for mass market they wouldnt be the same quality anyway... which would defeat the purpose of its existence because there are tons of decent work lights on the market. i can promise you guys though, there is nothing this strong. i designed it to work all day under cars for greasy mechanics that drop their lights on an hourly basis...

 

[phucheneh]

youre either being serious or just trying to get me to post the idea LOLOLOL jk

im so proud of it... ive tried to make a tough good work light for years.... usually wasnt bright enough, but never this strong either. this thing is comfortable to hold, its compact, and i could easily kill people with it if i had to. i would survive at least a 10ft drop to concrete... likely survive 40ft honestly.

and even if it does break, there is no glue. everything is locked together very cleverly. like i said, it took me a long time to finally come up with this, but the result is just awesome. most of the parts are available at home depot, you just have to get the right size for everything.

i should probably just start making and selling them locally. screw the patent, because if these were ever to be made for mass market they wouldnt be the same quality anyway... which would defeat the purpose of its existence because there are tons of decent work lights on the market. i can promise you guys though, there is nothing this strong. i designed it to work all day under cars for greasy mechanics that drop their lights on an hourly basis...

...make me one. ;P

Battery or corded? If battery, cost is a huge factor. Things like that are more prone to 'walking away,'...whether in someone's pocket or with a vehicle.

I lost my small Makita flashlight a little while ago. If it wasn't taken, someone surely found that I left it behind and decided to keep it. Then probably tossed it when the battery they didn't have a charger for died. People suck.

Anyhow, that was like a $20 light but happened to have a $50+ lithium drill/driver battery in it. Godammit...I knew better. I'd never bought expensive flashlights before (streamlight and the like) because they're basically cursed and will always get lost/stolen exponentially quicker than a cheap piece of shit...so I tend to just keep plenty of those cheap piece of shit $2 LED flashlights on hand.

For a corded lamp; if it's gonna have a cord, it better be damn effective...it's hard to beat something like this.

 

[John Connor]

I'm an inventor and think of shit all the time. I just wish I had the capital to market my ideas. That's the problem. Back then it wasn't that hard now you need a patent attorney and a marketing firm. When I was 9 I had the idea of GPS guided bombs during Desert Storm. Now we have them and they are called JDAM. I have another great idea that I want to let DARPA know about.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

If apples taught us anything, it's that if you keep attempting to patent something over and over eventually the patent office will get tired of rejecting it and just let it slide.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I'm an inventor and think of shit all the time. I just wish I had the capital to market my ideas. That's the problem. Back then it wasn't that hard now you need a patent attorney and a marketing firm. When I was 9 I had the idea of GPS guided bombs during Desert Storm. Now we have them and they are called JDAM. I have another great idea that I want to let DARPA know about.

I'm sure development on those started as soon as GPS became reliable. It takes time to bring a weapons system to the field.

 

[Dirigible]

No, it gets you limited protection until the next step of the patent process. Basically, you're banking on the glacially slow process which should be good enough to make a buck in the short run. I mean, it's a work light. We're not talking about an iLight. Crap, I've said too much!

No. It gets you nothing without eventually getting a patent stemming from the application.

In more detail, if you never get an actual patent, your patent pending marking and application are worthless. If you do get a patent from the application, then and only then do you have something of value.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I can't see why not but I'd be curious to know for sure as well.

I have an idea for a product I want to make, but I can only make it if it cannot be patented. I don't want to get sued, and I could not afford to patent every possible thing based on my idea, not to mention even think of them. Some of the weirdest things can be patented, like GUI elements on a computer. (Ex: slide to unlock). Who they hell thinks of patenting stuff like that? Patent trolls. So to be successful you pretty much think think of all these things and patent them before you make your product public.

The idea I have in mind is probably already patented though. It's very simple, yet there arn't much products out there that do it.

 

[wirednuts]

...make me one. ;P

Battery or corded? If battery, cost is a huge factor. Things like that are more prone to 'walking away,'...whether in someone's pocket or with a vehicle.

I lost my small Makita flashlight a little while ago. If it wasn't taken, someone surely found that I left it behind and decided to keep it. Then probably tossed it when the battery they didn't have a charger for died. People suck.

Anyhow, that was like a $20 light but happened to have a $50+ lithium drill/driver battery in it. Godammit...I knew better. I'd never bought expensive flashlights before (streamlight and the like) because they're basically cursed and will always get lost/stolen exponentially quicker than a cheap piece of shit...so I tend to just keep plenty of those cheap piece of shit $2 LED flashlights on hand.

For a corded lamp; if it's gonna have a cord, it better be damn effective...it's hard to beat something like this.

its corded. i started making thinking i could make it lithium powered... the batters WOULD fit inside my original design. but my biggest concern was heat.. i mean the core is made of thick steel, so its a perfect natural heatsink for the led's. it would help keep the batteries cool too, but i fear that if left running for hours the whole thing would get pretty warm and the batteries would suffer.

i also thought the more i add to it the more that could break. i assure you, this thing is a fricken tank! its not too heavy at all though. i think ill just take some pics and post it. if i put in on lifehacker i bet it would be very popular.

 

[Stone Rain]

Sounds like a design patent. I suggest you read this page here:
http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/patents.jsp

 

[Sho'Nuff]

i dont really know anything about patening. i should, because i make things all the time.

just in general though, because of course i cant explain in detail, can you patent an product that isnt much more then existing parts put together?

the parts are not related to eachother, i can assue you nothing like this exists on the market. basically, it is a very bright, virtually break proof work light. its also easy to make if you have decent skills.

im not saying it would sell well on a market, because the parts alone cost $20 and like i said it is easy to make. but it could easily sell for $40 because there just isnt anything this good- and i could probably make 100 of them per day just myself so i figure it would be a good thing to sell to people i know.

the only reason i want a patent is just in case.. just in case someone else mass produces them. god that would be awesome...

<----- Patent Attorney (but not your attorney)

A combination of known components is patentable in the U.S. provided that it is both novel and non-obvious in view of the prior art.

Example 1- 3d rendering station including a processor + video card is not patentable, because processors and video cards are known and it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine them to form a 3d rendering station.

Example 2 - Compounds A and B are known. A is known to treat certain forms of cancer. B is known to treat certain forms of baldness. Inventor discovers (surprisingly) that a combination of A and B can be used to treat syphilis. Prior art discloses the compounds alone or in combination, but not to treat syphilis. Inventor could still patent methods of treating syphilis using the combination, provided he/she can convince the examiner that a person of ordinary skill would not have found it obvious to use the combination in such a treatment method (likely, given the lack of disclosure in the art).

Given your brief description, obtaining a utility patent might be difficult, particularly in view of controlling case law re: determinations of obviousness when known parts are combined in a predictable way to have a predictable outcome.