There's no doubt that you have LOTS of questions! I want you fully understand the decisions you are making to best protect your invention.

Let's take some time to discuss your invention and how QuickPatents can help you achieve your goals.

We're Willing to Match Any Competing Registered Practitioner's Flat Fee!

• Ornamental Protection: Design patents protect the ornamental appearance of an invention, not how the invention functions.
• Cost: Design Patents are less expensive than Utility Patents
• Patent Pending Status: Allow you to legally claim "patent pending" while the application is pending at the US Patent & Trademark Office (PTO)
• Strength vs Utility: However, Design Patents aren't considered as strong as Utility Patents (assuming you can get a utility patent, which is much more difficult)
• Extra Protection: Many clients do both Utility and Design Patent applications since the design patent is so inexpensive, so likely to get approved, and will likely be granted more quickly.
• Your First Arrow: In fact, the Design Patent may be the first arrow you can shoot at a competitor, since utility patents often take 2 to 3 years just to get to the examination.

There are a number of companies and individuals out there that wish to turn your enthusiasm for your invention idea into money in their pockets, regardless of how good your idea actually is. They'll almost always tell you your idea is great, has incredible potential, and basically make you think you've won the lottery. That may be true, but don't let your enthusiasm cloud your better judgment.

These entities are famous for suing anyone who tells people about them, so we're not going to name names on this site. Suffice it to say, you should read the US PTO's "Scam Prevention" page and the information about "Invention Promotion Firms" at the FTC's website. Also, be sure to see online ratings from other consumers on websites such as Yelp, etc.

You should also join a local non-profit inventors group, such as Inventors Forum. Such groups exist to help educate inventors on how to profit from their inventions, and typically host a seminar series that's open to the public, and private meetings where inventions are evaluated in confidence. To find a group in your area, go to the United Inventors Association website or search on "inventor" or "inventing" at MeetUp.com.

There's no doubt that you have LOTS of questions! I want you fully understand the decisions you are making to best protect your invention.

Let's take some time to discuss your invention and how QuickPatents can help you achieve your goals.

We're Willing to Match Any Competing Registered Practitioner's Flat Fee!