VFR Discussion Group -> Design Patents

Anybody out there ever apply for a design patent ? I did some reading on this a while back but I wanted to know if anyone here had experience actually applying for one.

I did a lot of research as well, seems like the best option is to go to a patent attorney and pay the money. The application process was VERY long and drawn out.

Its too late. I already took your rear axle design and applied. So far the response has been great. With minor mods, they can be made for any type of sport bike and the craze is catching on. So far, I have 200 orders waiting in Juneau, AK alone. I few guys want to use them for the single sided swing arm conversion on their Harleys.

This is going to be gang busters man, GANGBUSTERS!!!!

Here is the US site for Paterns and Trademarks. Not sure if it will help, but it looks like they have a place to submit your design.

Hope it helps and best of luck.

http://www.uspto.gov/

:wheel:

I just got off the phone with a freinds of mine who has done this process twice in the trademark area. Here is the skinny.

The first one he used a lawyer and was really pissed. Well, not at first. The second one he did himself using the above website and all of the references. Yes, it took a little time, but it was a lot cheaper than the lawyer. Thats when he became pissed.

After he had the drawings for the trademark completed, the process to submit took about four nights of work (the attorney didn't get it done for two weeks). The big kicker was the price. Most attorney cost about 200 bucks an hour and love to rape their customers for all the time they can. Yes, they are the fall guys in the legal process and I am sure for some people, the price is worth it to have an "expert" in your corner. But......

IF you follow the website process and do the process according to the instructions, you will still retain all of your rights. It may be a lttle different for pattens, but I am sure they are close.

Its kind of like a realtor. Pay six percent of your closing price to someone who does about three hours of work, or do it yourself and bank the cash. It all depends on if you want to throw money away or keep it in the bank. Yes, it can be done by yourself.

i doubt he could patent the rear wheel conversion as its an "in use" item. brother tried to patent a protien skimmer for salt water aquariums. a different design than others out on the market. they would not patent it due to calling it an in use item and having charateristics of others on the market

767fixer, Mar 27 2005, 02:48 PMi doubt he could patent the rear wheel conversion as its an "in use" item.  brother tried to patent a protien skimmer for salt water aquariums.  a different design than others out on the market.  they would not patent it due to calling it an in use item and having charateristics of others on the market

You might be right, but if Safe-T does it himself, he's got little to lose except time. I wouldn't pay an attorney, though.

tbzep, Mar 27 2005, 05:07 PMYou might be right, but if Safe-T does it himself, he's got little to lose except time.  I wouldn't pay an attorney, though.

true

Thanks for the input ! Never heard of the "in-use" reference, but I will definitely check it out. Heck, it would be neat just to have something with my name attached to it, even if it didn't make me a schwack of money.

Basically means if other people already have the same thing out there that's close enough in specifications, you can't patent it...imagine the fun if you could though!

Well, all I would be patenting is the axle insert, not the whole hub.

If its significantly different from what else is out there, you can probably do it. There's plenty of examples of patents for items that do the same thing, but "differently." Bicycles are one thing that comes to mind where everyone scrambles to come up with something "same" but "different." Lots of different patents on bicycle hubs out there...