Pramrider
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Or, have you ever had someone else market something you had the same idea about inventing beforehand?
I actually tried to get a US patent issued for an idea about 15 years ago. I was working with a company that helped inventive people to both get a patent, and have their item marketed. We were halfway through the process with my invention being in *patent pending* status when the company went belly up. To get the process completed on my own would have required me to invest another $8,000 or so out of my pocket. So, not having any more funds to invest, I had to let the patent attorney discontinue the application process. :sad: By the way Peachy, this is how I got into CC debt because I did cash advances to put up my share of money initially to get the process going. Can't recall now why I used credit cards instead of a bank loan. At the time there must have been a good reason. I can be dumb sometimes when it comes to money matters, but not that dumb!:wallbash:
That was my only attempt at ever getting an invention patented. It's not a cheap process, in the US anyway, should you ever wish to try it yourself. And my invention? It was a "live plug guard" to protect young children from getting shocked by energized plugs in home electrical outlets. Kids are sometimes fascinated with electric wires and plugs. My idea would have made it impossible for them to touch a live plug prong if they happened to loosen the plug or it wasn't inserted all the way. Did that myself when I was a kid and learned my lesson well!
I look at child safety devices in stores every so often to see if anyone else carried my idea through to market. So far I haven't seen it anywhere. Any other inventive minds on the forums?
~Pramrider
I actually tried to get a US patent issued for an idea about 15 years ago. I was working with a company that helped inventive people to both get a patent, and have their item marketed. We were halfway through the process with my invention being in *patent pending* status when the company went belly up. To get the process completed on my own would have required me to invest another $8,000 or so out of my pocket. So, not having any more funds to invest, I had to let the patent attorney discontinue the application process. :sad: By the way Peachy, this is how I got into CC debt because I did cash advances to put up my share of money initially to get the process going. Can't recall now why I used credit cards instead of a bank loan. At the time there must have been a good reason. I can be dumb sometimes when it comes to money matters, but not that dumb!:wallbash:
That was my only attempt at ever getting an invention patented. It's not a cheap process, in the US anyway, should you ever wish to try it yourself. And my invention? It was a "live plug guard" to protect young children from getting shocked by energized plugs in home electrical outlets. Kids are sometimes fascinated with electric wires and plugs. My idea would have made it impossible for them to touch a live plug prong if they happened to loosen the plug or it wasn't inserted all the way. Did that myself when I was a kid and learned my lesson well!
~Pramrider