Chills1994 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Hey all, I have a particular product in mind that I think would be better if it was injection molded plastic. if I were to go to some plastics manufacturer and say "make this for me", how do I keep my idea confidential or keep the manufacturer from stealing my idea completely? thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin G. Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 If it is possible to change something enough from the original, while adding a feature or advantage that would compliment/add to your claim that the material improves the design you might be able to get a patent on it. I'm no patent attorney, but it seems they give them away these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark R Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Plastic Injection molds cost upwards around $100,000, so the manufacturer will need some type of Return On Investment...either with mass sales quantity or a percentage of your cut. you will need to discuss with them. I would suggest first to get a patent lawyer and get the item patented, and then follow suit with a personal lawyer to keeps things straight. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aglifter Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 A) You really need to have an initial discussion w. a patent/IP attorney Injection molding is an expensive process to experiment with. I'd think you'd want to mill the prototypes out appropriate plastics or wood. My "neighbor" (His CNC Plastic Shop is next door to my ice cream plant) used to build prototypes out of Lucite for a local company so that the engineers could see the internal functions of the parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I'm not a patent lawyer, but I just spent over a year and a half getting a conviction on a $57-77M theft of trade secrets case....that and three bucks will get you a coffee at Starbucks You may wind up not wanting to get a patent....it depends on a number of factors. For one, a patent makes your idea, in specific detail, open for everybody to see. It does, however, give you what amounts to a temporary (20yr) monopoly on the item. In lieu of that, some companies deem the idea/item a trade secret, and make any potential vendor/supplier/etc sign a confidentiality agreement. You have to give them the details, but they can't use them for any other purpose except as necessary to fulfill their obligations to you. If your idea is something new, made out of conventional materials, processes, etc, then you wouldn't be giving as much away if you filed for a patent. Trademarks are different in that they are outwardly visible indicators, i.e. the Nike Swoosh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmccrock Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 A little behind in my reading. Anyway... I believe it would be covered by a "Design Patent". This is relatively easy to get, compared to a "Utility Patent", which is what most of us associate when we say "patent". If you are thinking about the expense of making a mold, checking with an IP (intellectual property) attorney would be good. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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