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raku, "should i patent this..."

updated fri 30 may 03

 

Donalson on thu 29 may 03


Leland,

Sounds like you may have come up with a device that would be of benefit =
to a great many potters. I would suggest that you come to market with =
your product, as quickly as you can, WITHOUT, the added expense and time =
lost of a patent search and application. I have had limited experience =
with trying to secure a patent on a device but you may learn something =
from it. It costs more than it should, takes longer than you want to =
wait, and generally, in the end, you likely find that your device =
infringes, in some small way, on an already patented product. =20

Make em, and get em to market... the sooner the better.

Good luck.


Craig AZ

John Rodgers on thu 29 may 03


I guess I missed the thread, but have some commentary on new things
generally.

I have been down this road before, and in my experience, and from my
reading, say nothing about your product now. In the meantime, make it
and bring it to market. Then tell the world!! Patents are difficult at
best, impossible at worst. There is a definite cycle in a products life.
A new product hits the market, enjoys and upswing in sales, good profits
are taken, then the market begins to mature or be filled out. At the
same time the copy cats will be coming after you. You will not be able
to stop it. As they flood the market in competition with your product,
your sales will drop and profits become reduced. You then have to
determine when to pull out of the market. Do it to late, and you lose a
lot of money.

The trick is get into the market, make your pile, and get out, with that
particular product. Move on to the next one. This is the product cycle
for most products. If you are making "ART" that is a different matter,
but any product - devices such as yours - that can be endlessly
reproduced exactly is subject to the product cycle.

Consider the market for your device. Though I don't know what it is, if
it is clay related, and not likely to be picked up by big industry, then
I wouldn't spend a plug nickle on the trying to protect it. Like I said,
make your money, and get out.

John Rodgers
Birmingham, AL

Donalson wrote:

>Leland,
>
>Sounds like you may have come up with a device that would be of benefit to a great many potters. I would suggest that you come to market with your product, as quickly as you can, WITHOUT, the added expense and time lost of a patent search and application. I have had limited experience with trying to secure a patent on a device but you may learn something from it. It costs more than it should, takes longer than you want to wait, and generally, in the end, you likely find that your device infringes, in some small way, on an already patented product.
>
>Make em, and get em to market... the sooner the better.
>
>Good luck.
>
>
>Craig AZ
>
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