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Rights with Patents

rincelex · 2016-05-03 13:05:56

Not sure where to put this. What are the implications if you invent something for personal use and then start selling for profit (only very small scale, local fairs etc) and then years later someone else comes along and invents the same thing and then patents it. Is it a case of tough luck. Can you continue to sell it?…

Comments

ThumbRemote Posts: 4,757 Forumite

3 May 2016 at 10:19PM

Prior art described here: https://www.epo.org/learning-events/materials/inventors-handbook/novelty/prior-art.html

Patents work on a "first to file" basis. My understanding is that your proof of prior art could invalidate their patent, but you wouldn't be able to get the patent yourself.

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