Opinions pls re patents, sml biz or go alone?

moneynoviceat32 · 9 April 2005 at 12:08AM

HI Guys, in a bit of a dliemma. Firstly for a bit of background, I already have my own business (ltd Co.) which is just barely ticking over as unfortunately I have not been able to be there for the last 18 months but am due back in May hopefully, but in the meantime I have "invented" something that has absolutely nothing to do with my business. I am about to go through the process of getting it patented. now my questions are a) how easy is it to do yourself (the patent process) ? would anyone actua

lly recommend using an agent that charges 10 times more than the cost of going direct to the patent office ? and b) ( I know i already asked two questions on a!) would anyone recommend putting it through my Limited Company name or in my personal name as I can offset the costs against the Company ( although I am personally keeping the company in funds so it'll cost me either way you look at it) and also c) can i get any grants anywhere as it would be an invention that would be a lifesaving aid? and d) I am looking to market and possibly outsource manufacturing myself but is it possible to sell an invention with patent pending and still retain "royalties" , if you know what I mean. I know that the Patent office do have clinics all over the UK but I never have any spare time that isn't taken up at the moment and I have already had this idea for 6 months and I don't want to leave it any longer. Thanks for any input x

Savvy_Sue · 9 April 2005 at 1:07AM

Many years ago, I used to live with a couple of trainee patent agents. So the answers to your questions are not necessarily up to date, especially as the law may have changed, but here goes:

a) to patent something, you have to establish that something is 'novel' about your invention. Using an agent may save time and money in the long run, because THEY will do the searches for you to establish 'novelty', and make suggestions about whether your invention could be modified in some way to make it 'novel' if it is not 'novel' in its current form.

b) and c) and d) sorry no idea! I would expect a good patent agent to be able to answer them, however.

But if you haven't got time to go to a clinic, you definitely haven't got time to do this yourself. You could of course just stick in an application, but if it isn't 'novel', you've lost your money. And I think you need to do a fair bit of reading and research before you stick in an application, just to get the hang of it.

I stand ready to be corrected!

moneynoviceat32 · 9 April 2005 at 10:50AM

I have been reading up quite a lot on it in the evenings, even James Dyson suggests not using patent agents due to the cost, Thinking about what you
said then yes I will try to make time to go to a (patent) clininc. I do have my evenings when the kids are asleep to find out as much as I can and have already planned what to put in the application and hopefully in the next couple of months I will be back to work with some free time, I am just a bit itchy that someone will come up with if before me as it is a very obvious invention. I think whilst sleeping I decided to go for it and just put it in as it can always be amended at a later stage. I think after going to the clinic I will decide whether to go down the patent agent route as I will probably need an expert to tell me how best to market it and which would be the best manufacturers to approach. I just really wish I had more time and an extra set of hands. When people say time is money they really underestimate the value of time! x

Savvy_Sue · 9 April 2005 at 11:27PM

moneynoviceat32 wrote:

I am just a bit itchy that someone will come up with if before me as it is a very obvious invention.

If that's the case, you are going to have to do a lot of careful searching to be sure it hasn't already been patented. So I wish you luck! I'm not in direct contact with my patent agent friends any more or I would ask them to comment - although I think we know what they'd say!

WHA · 11 April 2005 at 10:04AM

I found this on the internet when doing some reseach a while ago. I didn't get in contact with them, and am not "recommending" them in any way, but it may be worth a read through for contacts, ideas etc.

http://www.two-little-ducks.co.uk/

moneynoviceat32 · 11 April 2005 at 3:39PM

Thanks for the link, this is the most plain talking site I have visited to date (which helps a lot !). So this time next year when I am a millionaire I shall remeber to buy you a beer - and Savvy - sue too x thanks x

Opinions pls re patents, sml biz or go alone?

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