Product invention ideas

[Aarons Air]

Over the years i've had ideas for several products that i think many people would want & buy. I have seen commercials for companies that help with patenting and marketing, but have never pursued it. Has anyone here been down this path ? Or actually followed through ?

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Good question...

 

[MrJLR]

I have a U.S. patent for CNC software i wrote.....i still sell it on ebay!
I have another great idea for Christmas lights but man....patents and marketing are a bitch.....

Jeff

 

[Dibbons]

I had some stainless steel (food grade) glove box liner prototypes made up to replace the factory carton-like ones for both A Body and B Body. Little interest/enthusiasm was exhibited by forum members. I could probably market them for around $100.00 plus shipping.

P.S. edit:
I have them installed in my '72 Satellite Sebring Plus and my '65 Barracuda Formula S (and '65 Valiant Signet convertible).

 

[66 Sat]

I invented and patented a fishing rod holder for cars about 15 years ago (Rodlok). The fees for the patent were a few grand for the basic design. If you want to go into production it gets very expensive. Industrial design (to turn your prototype into a product that works a bit better and can be mass produced more easily) will set you back maybe $40,000 depending on the complexity. Tooling costs (for overseas manufacture in my case) were about $100,000. I bailed before the industrial design point and sold my half to my business partner. He proceeded with it and it is in production, not sure how successful. Bottom line, it's a very long and difficult process. Read up on Dyson's story, he spent years and years before he hit success.

 

[Aarons Air]

I invented and patented a fishing rod holder for cars about 15 years ago (Rodlok). The fees for the patent were a few grand for the basic design. If you want to go into production it gets very expensive. Industrial design (to turn your prototype into a product that works a bit better and can be mass produced more easily) will set you back maybe $40,000 depending on the complexity. Tooling costs (for overseas manufacture in my case) were about $100,000. I bailed before the industrial design point and sold my half to my business partner. He proceeded with it and it is in production, not sure how successful. Bottom line, it's a very long and difficult process. Read up on Dyson's story, he spent years and years before he hit success.

Is this it ?

 

[khryslerkid]

I know a guy who sold an idea through one of those "Idea" companies. They'll find you a buyer for your idea if someone else hasn't thought of it first and has a patent. He made a couple hundred thousand on the triple edge wiper blade idea years ago. Think how much he would have made if he used a patent lawyer. It's all about how much you have to spend and how good your idea is. Could be a flop or it could make you rich.

I've talked to patent lawyers before. It was around six grand for a US patent and about the same for the overseas patent. I'm sure it's more now. One isn't good without the other because the idea will get stolen. I have a couple of ideas and might just use one of the idea companies to sell it. I don't have enough bankroll to use a lawer.

One thing I have done is draw up my ideal, place it in a sealed envelope and mail it to myself. If someone markets it before I do, I can use it in court to prove I had the idea first.

Another thing to do is Google your idea and see if it's out there. Many times I thought I really had something and there it was, already thought of.

 

[Aarons Air]

I know a guy who sold an idea through one of those "Idea" companies. They'll find you a buyer for your idea if someone else hasn't thought of it first and has a patent. He made a couple hundred thousand on the triple edge wiper blade idea years ago. Think how much he would have made if he used a patent lawyer. It's all about how much you have to spend and how good your idea is. Could be a flop or it could make you rich.

I've talked to patent lawyers before. It was around six grand for a US patent and about the same for the overseas patent. I'm sure it's more now. One isn't good without the other because the idea will get stolen. I have a couple of ideas and might just use one of the idea companies to sell it. I don't have enough bankroll to use a lawer.

One thing I have done is draw up my ideal, place it in a sealed envelope and mail it to myself. If someone markets it before I do, I can use it in court to prove I had the idea first.

Another thing to do is Google your idea and see if it's out there. Many times I thought I really had something and there it was, already thought of.

Thanks. Selling my ideas would be more in my price range lol

 

[gkent]

haven't you ever watched Dragon's Den or Shark Tank ?????

 

[Aarons Air]

haven't you ever watched Dragon's Den or Shark Tank ?????

yes, i've watched shark tank. Though it seems they're more interested in jumping in after the hard part of getting it off the ground is already done.

 

[dadsbee]

My biggest screw up in life was not patenting refastenable diapers in 1983. We use to put packing tape on the diaper so the diapers tape didn't tear the plastic when checking the kid. At 19 and 21 we needed every penny we had. Refastenable diapers weren't patented until 1986..

 

[gkent]

Little interest/enthusiasm was exhibited by forum members. I could probably market them for around $100.00 plus shipping.

At $100 a pop plus shipping I can understand why there'd be little interest. And who needs a metal glove box ?!?! Make a mold from MDF and vacuum form them out of ABS - less labor intensive and lower material cost = lower price. And ABS is still a more attractive material than cardboard. But regardless, the product is still only attractive to those not "restoring" the car. Had you identified your "target market" up front I suspect you never would have wasted your time.

Just my 2 cents, don't take offense.

 

[Aarons Air]

Anyone ever watch this guys videos on you tube ?

 

[kiwigtx]

Many times I thought I really had something and there it was, already thought of.

About 20 years ago I thought of making a smaller mouse for computers - for kids & people with small hands. I was going to call it the "Minnie Mouse" ....then my colleague pointed out they had already been invented, and were just coming out in the marketplace.

I have been guilty many times over the years of MacGyvering stuff up...but never to the point of it been a worthwhile innovative invention.

Here's a Security measure I put together for our office back in 2003....

A pair of old sunglasses with the right lens missing - and a red LED for an eye. people would walk past, look, and nearly crap themselves when they saw the eye.

And more recently - about 2016, my manager asked me to create a Lockbox for the keys at work for various sites, and number the keys, and also generate a list with details etc. After nagging me for several weeks, I eventually knocked this up...an old Advertising sign we tore down.

Sheets of A4 paper duplicated....he was not impressed. The other guys and Managers got a good laugh out of that.

 

[Aarons Air]

About 20 years ago I thought of making a smaller mouse for computers - for kids & people with small hands. I was going to call it the "Minnie Mouse" ....then my colleague pointed out they had already been invented, and were just coming out in the marketplace.

I have been guilty many times over the years of MacGyvering stuff up...but never to the point of it been a worthwhile innovative invention.

Here's a Security measure I put together for our office back in 2003....
View attachment 890374

A pair of old sunglasses with the right lens missing - and a red LED for an eye. people would walk past, look, and nearly crap themselves when they saw the eye.

And more recently - about 2016, my manager asked me to create a Lockbox for the keys at work for various sites, and number the keys, and also generate a list with details etc. After nagging me for several weeks, I eventually knocked this up...an old Advertising sign we tore down.

View attachment 890375
Sheets of A4 paper duplicated....he was not impressed. The other guys and Managers got a good laugh out of that.

Be careful talking about "knocking things up" here. The moderator might get ya. Lol.

 

[kiwigtx]

Be careful talking about "knocking things up" here. The moderator might get ya. Lol.

I know....one of the Mod's here is a real bastard.

Shhhh....I won't say his name out loud.

 

[khryslerkid]

The last big one I thought I was onto was a Geese deterrent. They actually have a granule that they apply to golf courses, ball fields and the like to keep geese off these areas. If you've ever been where geese frequent, believe me they really "frequent"! So this granule is suppose to "glow" and only the geese can see it and they won't land where it has been applied. The application is real expensive, something like a couple hundred dollars an acre or even more. I don't remember anymore.

Now growing up on a farm I noticed that for some reason chickens can't stand a high pitched whistle. They will shake their heads and you can tell that it's irritating to them. So I'm wondering if this would apply to geese? We have a two acre pond with two hundred geese that visit every spring, what a great place to experiment with this idea. So I start researching what Radio Shack has in a high frequency type generator and maybe put this to the test. I tell my daughter about what I'm doing, she looks it up on Google and sure enough it's already out there. File 13 another idea! I thought for sure I was really onto something that time but yet again, I'm a day late.

 

[Aarons Air]

The last big one I thought I was onto was a Geese deterrent. They actually have a granule that they apply to golf courses, ball fields and the like to keep geese off these areas. If you've ever been where geese frequent, believe me they really "frequent"! So this granule is suppose to "glow" and only the geese can see it and they won't land where it has been applied. The application is real expensive, something like a couple hundred dollars an acre or even more. I don't remember anymore.

Now growing up on a farm I noticed that for some reason chickens can't stand a high pitched whistle. They will shake their heads and you can tell that it's irritating to them. So I'm wondering if this would apply to geese? We have a two acre pond with two hundred geese that visit every spring, what a great place to experiment with this idea. So I start researching what Radio Shack has in a high frequency type generator and maybe put this to the test. I tell my daughter about what I'm doing, she looks it up on Google and sure enough it's already out there. File 13 another idea! I thought for sure I was really onto something that time but yet again, I'm a day late.

Look at it like being one step closer to the right thing

 

[khryslerkid]

Look at it like being one step closer to the right thing

Yes, I've been doing it all my life! Lol

 

[MarPar]