creative invention ideas

creative invention ideas
So you have an idea for an invention? What are you doing now? The most successful hair accessory in history, the TopsyTail, the 100 million U.S. dollars. That did not happen by miracle or chance. The key was a well-designed and be executed. Following a thorough approach will help your invention into a bonanza of extra income.

Getting Started:

The Ideabook
Hold to your invention ideabook idea. Date your entries. Draw it. State what it is, how it happened, and for whose use? Possible variations. Add and define over time.

Get it Certified
If your idea still seems brilliant after a month or two, it officially confirmed that you conceived your invention idea for a certain time, and your notes notarized. This can help if you at any time, to prove that you "first to invent" the idea.

Search and Search
Do you have your own patent search to determine whether your invention is original and prospectively patentable. Go to the internet to uspto.gov and study all patents in the product category of the invention to see whether something like your already there. Better yet, with a professional patent searcher, a thorough search and advise the patentability of your invention. Go to an inventor Association, books on inventing, or websites such as patentsearchinternational.com, resources to be found.

Create the first prototypes
Use simple materials rig it to see if it works. Some of the most successful consumer inventions today started, and pipe cleaners, coat hanger wire or foam embryos.

Get Educated
Inform yourself about the process of inventing. Go to a bookstore or inventorhelp.com and the abundance of books on this topic. From Patent to Profit by Bob De Matteis is particularly informative.

The Non-Disclosure Form
This is an agreement between you and all your invention. It states that the information and materials belong to you and can not be used without your written consent. It allows you to protect your invention for the parties which may be helpful to put your product on the market, such as prototyping, product evaluation services, manufacturers, packaging designers, licensing and marketing agent. Variations of the Non-Disclosure form are easily accessible in invention books and the Internet.

Moving Ahead

Analyze costs to produce
Determine what the cost will be. Research in domestic and foreign resources. Include all costs for producing one unit of the product. Add molds, packaging, naming and trademarking, promotion, marketing, distribution and mark-up. Find sources through the Thomas Register, libraries, Yellow Pages, Web, chambers of commerce and industry, foreign trade offices, and references.

The evaluation
Analyze the advantages and features, strengths and weaknesses of your invention.
Can it have long on the market?
Specifies the time to market trends?
Research the size of the potential market.
Identify your competition. Question why a dealer would buy your product if they can do, with experienced, multi-product, supplier and financed, they can return unsold products and replace them with ongoing new items? Visit the market and speak with managers and consumers. If your product represents a significant improvement or simplification of the way, is currently doing something that you have a better chance for success.

Get a Professional Prototype
Have professional prototypes made, the quality, can be shown to potential retail buyers. For the procurement of suggestions, see 'Analyze Costs to produce. "

Protect Your Idea
Apply for a provisional patent. This can be done by selecting the application from the Patent Office website: uspto.gov. The provisional patent secures patent pending status for the invention for a period of one year during this time you need for a non-provisional patent, if desired, or lose the opportunity to compare the patented invention. With a patent attorney to complete the application for the provisional patent secures full specifications of the invention and lays the foundation for an effective non-provisional patent application.

The Non-Provisional Patent
Your patent attorney files your non-provisional patent application. If rejected, the patent examination by the Patent Office, since most of them, the lawyer will deal with the changes. This can be repeated several times before your patent is ultimately granted or rejected. This process can take up to two years. If a patent is granted your personal advantage for twenty years. Like other assets, you can rent or sell them to earn income.

On the market, but how?

Licensing
The inventor has the choice to license the invention to a manufacturer in exchange for a royalty percentage of sales. Normally, an inventor can expect that the royalties between 3-7 percent of net sales. The most efficient way to a license agreement is a licensing agent with expertise in the field of the invention. The licensing is familiar in the language and types of license agreements, advise you about the options and the negotiation of the agreement. Licensing agents typically charge between one third and one half of the royalty fees. Royalties are an excellent opportunity to get additional revenue.

Manufacturing
The manufacture and marketing your invention brings greater financial risk, but more can benefit. If you have the time, financing, production lines, storage and distribution point, accounting and legal skills or assistance, sales and marketing channels and mainly the desire to be your own boss, this may pave the way for you.
Collaboration with specialists and hiring outside salesrepresentatives to the growth of your business can scale. Successful manufacturing and distribution of a protected product, you can use active income.

Joan Lefkowitz, the marketer of TOPSYTAIL tm, is president of ACCESSORY Brainstorms, NYC, a licensing system agents, consultants and sales representatives for the hair and beauty accessories and lifestyle inventions. She writes and gives seminars on "How to market your invention and can be reached at 212-971-7300 or online at http://www.accessorybrainstorms.com.