If you’ve ever wanted to kick yourself after you’ve come up with a neat idea or invention — but then saw it on the store shelves or TV a few years later — then this Web site is for you. Hi. I’m Eric Knight. You’ve probably seen me on TV. Maybe on the Late Show [...]
Probably the biggest mistake of a new inventor, that I see all the time, is not following through on his or her idea. He or she comes up with an innovative idea, many times related to his or her own industry or hobby. The person confidentially tells me about the invention. I encourage he or [...]
One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is “How much does a patent cost?” Well, that’s like asking “How much does a house cost?” or “How much does a car cost?”. Of course, it all depends on the house or car. The same is true regarding a patent. Will you be using a patent [...]
Free patent searches are just a click away. A US patent search is an early, prerequisite step in the process of filing a patent application. The primary intent of a patent search is to find out if anyone has previously invented your idea. However, especially for a new inventor, the costs for hiring a patent [...]
Did you know that there are three primary types of patents? They are: utility patents, design patents, and plant patents. Utility patents are the ones most commonly sought, and what most people are referring to when they say they have “patented” their invention. Utility patents cover things that function in some way to create a [...]
A common question is how long do patents last? In the U.S., utility patents and plant patents are valid for 20 years after their filing date. (This slightly longer change in duration came about in June 1995. Utility patents filed before that date are valid for 17 years from their issue date.) As for the [...]
I can’t draw to save my life. However, patent applications require very detailed drawings of submitted inventions. And hiring an artist or draftsperson to do the patent drawings can costs hundreds (or, for complex inventions) thousands of dollars. For many inventors, that’s an immediate budget killer. My goal was to find a way to do [...]
In a previous post I mentioned one of my favorite techniques for creating patent drawings — for free — using a simple technique with Photoshop and any digital camera. (If you’d like to see that post again, just click on: http://patent-your-inventions.com/?p=26 .) Another handy technique, also with Photoshop, is a quick way to darken the [...]
