Patents

Stercus Accidit

Where would be the best place to find out about the patent system and what it entails?
I've designed engine parts for the past few years, sort of half heartedly in my spare time on paper, but never had them made.

Has any one here any experience with going forward with their own designs?

And how finished does a part have to be to be patented, is it possible to patent what it would do and sell this to a manufacturer, thus funding further progress with other designs?

Thanks.

chris85

Ok designing parts is good but to get a patent they must be an invention or an inventive step. If the parts do exactly the same thing as some other device but designed differently than no application for a patent can be made. So if it is something new then a patent could be filed.

Filing a patent is tricky process as all aspects of the filing must be perfectly formatted (correct margin, paper size, font etc). There are agencies out there that deal with filing patents as in they will sort out the paper work, but dont know of any to be honest.

Without looking for any details on your work can I ask is it an invention or just a redesign of another device?

tak

Read this thread.

chris85

good thread there tak, everything that needs to be known

tak

Moto,

Do not overlook the possibilities of registered design protection either.

Even if it turns out that your machine parts may not be capable of patenting, that does not mean that you cannot make some money from them.
A reg design may be given where a part operates on the same principles as an existing design but does so in a more effective or otherwise valuable way - e.g. more compact, more handlable, more aesthetic, etc.

The Patent Office has information on this form of IP too.
Patent Agents would have more low-down on it, if you choose to pursue this.

So many things are sold on handiness and appearance that good design is worth a bit.

Stercus Accidit

Ok one would be a simple adapter kit to mount a particular engine into a particular chassis, bike into car style.

These are common enough but the design would be specificly for a car not yet available with such an adapter.

The next is a combination of a variable ratio system that already exists, but in conjuction with a computer control and powering an existing system.

As of yet the device being powered is always directly powered, not in variable ratios.

This all may sound like bull but I'm taking the advice not to be specific.

Am going to read that suggested thread now, thanks.