Who to approach with my idea !

jinty271

Hi all

I have stumbled across an amazing idea, and am not sure who to approach. I am not a businesswoman, just a mum - I have googled and I dont see anything similar available - I have also tried to understand some of the patenting info , but its boggling my brains!

Obviously I cant be too specific about the product- Its an item of clothing, that would have a really big market. It would also be very helpful to some groups of people. ( Sorry if its rather vague ! )

Has anyone ever successfully managed to manufacture/ market an idea, and if so how?

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I have tried to find this info out for myself, but it all seems so complicated - any clever people who could simplify the process ( particularly with regards to patenting the product)
would be greatly received.

bingo_bango

To successfully patent the idea, it must have some new and inventive step in the process of manufacturing. If this is an item of clothing then I suspect it won't meet that test.

You will of course have the right to register the design though. This will be a cheaper and easier solution, which stilll allows you to licence the idea for profit. I suggest you ring the IPO and speak to an advisor there. They can give you a better understanding of which option is right for you before you start spending money only to find that you can't actually register the idea in the way you want to.

JennyJewell

Try and get on Dragons Den
Are there any business centres round you who can advise you better - if so, get an appointment booked in with them
Best of luck
Jen

PassedAtFailing

The first reply is true.

To be patented the item does need an inventive step... not necessarily literal of course - I remember discussing patents with someone before and they asked 'How can adding a step to something make it inventive?"!

I would also assume a piece of clothing wouldn't have the necessary 'inventive step' but of course it may do! Use the patent search engine and the registered design engine, both can be found through www.ipo.gov.uk. The difference whether it should be registered as a design or a patent is actually quite clear: if people are buying to use it then it's for patent and if people are buying it because of the way it looks then it's a design. Allowing some room for already patented products, naturally.

After you've decided which of the categories your products falls into, make sure it has a market! Patents especially can be time consuming, stressful and expensive. It's always a good idea to get some market research done. It should be noted that a patent can be submitted for free (if done by yourself) and you then have 12 months before you need to pay anything but you'll be protected. Registering a design is much more straightforward though.

If it turns out to be a design there are also things to be careful about, for instance, if you're picture shows a blue t-shirt then that's all you've protected a blue t-shirt. So anyone can copy the look in any colour other than blue and be fully in their right to do so. If it turns out to need patenting prepare for a long battle with the IPO it's their job to ensure your product is 'new' - but persevere!

Finally, a lot of people have mentioned the importance of being able to afford to protect your patent after the patent has been protecting your product. This is probably a niggling concern that I don't take much notice of. They basically hint of the possibility of a legal battle should someone copy your idea... you still have to afford that legal battle to prove you have all the rights of the product. However, you should be aware that intellectual property insurance is available for such matters should you choose to take it.

Good luck and if you have any more questions I can try to answer them.

PasturesNew

It's the time/cost and complexity of getting a patent done that stops most people and their ideas.

Ideas are ten a penny, the hard bit is protecting it, then prototyping it and getting it to market. These take time, dedication, sweat, tears and cash.

One of the main questions Dragons want to know is "is it protected, entirely, in which countries?"

For competition, is it possible you're searching for the wrong thing, that maybe what you have thought of is out there and just known by a different name? e.g. who'd have thought a "long black dress with built in headscarf" was a burkha (not even sure I spelt that right)

jinty271

Thankyou for all your input

I would be much too shy to go on Dragon's den pmsl- those guys scare me !

I believe my idea falls slightly in the middle ground between an idea and a design.

It involves creating an every day common item of clothing, but my product would be adapted , to make it easier for use, for certain groups of people.

I would really only be looking to protect the specific manner of the adaption, therefore possibly the idea, not the finished product in its entirety.

Ohh so confusing !!

Thankyou to all who have taken the time to offer advice - it is much appreciated

PassedAtFailing

jinty271 wrote: »

Thankyou for all your input

I would be much too shy to go on Dragon's den pmsl- those guys scare me !

I believe my idea falls slightly in the middle ground between an idea and a design.

It involves creating an every day common item of clothing, but my product would be adapted , to make it easier for use, for certain groups of people.

I would really only be looking to protect the specific manner of the adaption, therefore possibly the idea, not the finished product in its entirety.

Ohh so confusing !!

Thankyou to all who have taken the time to offer advice - it is much appreciated

There is no middle ground unfortunately.

Let me put it this way, imagine a teacup and saucer both commonly used items and both bought for their use and design. Imagine combining the two, so you now have a teacup-and-saucer-in-one, a little impractical perhaps, but if the end user were intended to buy it because it was a single unit then it can be patented. If, however, it was intended to be bought simply because it looked quirky, then it's a design.

I think I also understand what you say about not protecting the full product. If not, try and explain to me again because I can be a bit dim! You can patent an adaption or add-on for an existing product, think cat's eyes, they can be protected themselves but not the road.

The bit you say your clothing would make it "easier for [the buyer's] use" suggests to me it is being bought to be used rather than as a fashion, and therefore suggests to me it would be patentable.

NigeWick

jinty271 wrote: »

I have stumbled across an amazing idea, and am not sure who to approach.

If it's an invention, Trevor Baylis (of wind up radio fame) started a company for helping inventors. http://www.trevorbaylisbrands.com

The drawback is that they do charge for their services, although I found them reasonable for what they did.

JennyJewell

Hi all
My turn - I have come up with what I believe is a completely unique party plan idea Anyone know who I can contact to discuss this possible business further please? Obviously there are business centres,(there's one down the road from me) but does anyone know of anyone else of who I could speak to please? Obviously I can't really speak about my idea on here but I would appreciate any feedback
How are your plans coming along jinty? And same as you - I'm not really a business woman, just a mum who has a passion for what I would be 'selling'
Jen

PassedAtFailing

JennyJewell wrote: »

Hi all
My turn - I have come up with what I believe is a completely unique party plan idea Anyone know who I can contact to discuss this possible business further please? Obviously there are business centres,(there's one down the road from me) but does anyone know of anyone else of who I could speak to please? Obviously I can't really speak about my idea on here but I would appreciate any feedback
How are your plans coming along jinty? And same as you - I'm not really a business woman, just a mum who has a passion for what I would be 'selling'
Jen

You cannot protect a business idea or model as such.

There may be some protection in trademarks, but that will only protect the name. If you think of any business they cannot protect their idea so instead they build a recognisable brand that the customer chooses over less-recognised competitors and that's where a trademark works. Other businesses protect themselves by keeping key issues secret, like ingredients.

Is there anything you believe could be protected?

If I were you I'd consider your idea carefully and then if you believe you have planned as much as you can then try it small-scale.

geordie_joe

JennyJewell wrote: »

I have come up with what I believe is a completely unique party plan idea



I'm not really a business woman, just a mum who has a passion for what I would be 'selling'
Jen

Have you come up with a "new" way of doing parties, or just an item nobody else is selling at parties?

Not that it matters, I doubt you could protect either, but I'd love it if you have thought of a new way of selling rather than just a new product to sell.