ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Inventions

Be aware that there are different kinds of patents. What most people think of when say the invention of the light bulb, or the transistor are known as "Utility" patents. There are also "Design" patents, which are about the same as that of a company logo (shape of the Coke bottle). Easy to get, but not worth anything. What you want is the utility patent, hard to get though. And all a patent really does is allow you to sue infringers and get royalty payments.

I have a bunch of patents, but the rights and any royalties belong to the companies I worked for (inventing them was part of my job at those companies). I do get bragging rights though

master66,
My first device was a holding and insertion tool for a solid state comp. By employment agreement the company held all rights. My total reward was $150.00 value to company aprox. $35,000 They had all the money and all the Legal staff.
The second device was a cutting tool, My out of pocket expense was aprox. $3,000 After one year, I received a certified letter stating I had to show the ability to manufacture and market the product or loose the rights. I tried to raise money for the project and failed to get any investors.
The third was an opening device, which costs $1,200 out of pocket expense, and after completed, Had no money left to market. Since that time five other companies are making the product, because they had the ability to produce and market.
The fourth was a core hole fire seal device, again pre employment contract, however this company treated me very well.
Stay with it, inventors are not instant winners.

wa2ise,
I guess you know, all the things that can happen while the design is in process, we had an existing product which we improved, so we started the search, well it returned over 200 other like designs. When you think you found that something great, your not alone.