That is impossible to answer…..Do a google search and a patent search and believe me when your Provisional gets a patent examiner you will get called out on an office action, if the examiner finds an issue they will give you time to make the patent ready to be granted if all possible.

When I first started this journey last July, I knew nothing of the process and paid Legal Zoom to do a patent search. It was faily well done, and I’ve since found out how to search on my own. I’ve done the patent searching and also tried to find a product like it on the market. Many hours on both. Several patents aim to do the same thing, but not quite the same way. Nothing on the market.

We’ve redesigned since the provisional, so we’re being a little more careful about who sees it until we are ready to file for the patent. We hope to get to market some time this summer. Not sure though. Still some steps before we are ready.

May also have to deal with FDA????

Mick,

Welcome to EN! Are you by chance from Michigan?

Chris

Yep. How’d you figure it out?

Well, I think I know you. I just sent you a friend request.

so I just accepted my first friend on EN! I have a Facebook, but I’m afraid I really don’t do well at learning all the ins and outs of the tech tools I use. I learn what I need to know. Thanks for asking to be my friend. Did I just sound Jr. Highish and maybe a little desperate? :)

So where might we know each other from?

“Did I just sound Jr. Highish and maybe a little desperate?” Yes!

I won’t even charge you to be my friend :) I just sent you a message about how I may know you. I didn’t want to totally hijack your thread here.

Hi Mick, Welcome to EN. It sound like you are off to a good start. You said your product uses a unique way to solve the problem, which is great, and hopefully the unique way is also non obvious so you will be able to get a patent. Good luck.

Hi Mick…I’ll be your friend too! LOL!

Welcome aboard…you are in good hands with the Colonel and Don. Research your idea as others here have mentioned. Search the internet and search patents and see what you can find. If you still feel yours is different keep going with it.

My rule of thumb with inventing is that if you thought of it at least 100 others have too. You are just the smart one that is actually trying to do something with it and make it happen. With that in mind my philosophy is to attack my projects. Research, design, prototype and enter it as quickly as possible. You could fiddle around with it forever and while you are perfecting the exact shape or color it should be someone else will swoop in and start selling them.

Run…run like the wind!

Welcome. I’m realitively new to EN also and am so glad to have found it.

I agree with Phillip. I imagine most ideas have been thought of already by somebody, but most people don’t actually do anything with their ideas.

I think the hours of searching you’ve done tell you that it is not already on the market, which is great. After that I guess you have to take a bit of a leap and press forward. There is really no way to really know if anyone else is working on it, but I too wish there was. Good luck to you!

Hey, kind of new myself! Good luck with your medical device. I am in the health care field so anything is possible right? I am not sure if this is the “right” one to launch your product as I have not seen any “medical companies” looking for innovative idea’s, but keep your eye out anyway.

Have you thought of taking this to the DME companies that make durable medical equipment for seniors? Just a thought! OR to the hospital DME companies?

Sorry for the delay in responding, we were out of town. Yes, we did consider taking the idea to DME companies, and we did at the very beginning. No interest at all. I have since learned that there are very few companies that will pay for an idea. They want to see a market ready product, and most want to see sales. We weren’t even close to either at the time, and it was pretty evident.

So, we are working some design issues and hoping to begin limited production this summer. We are planning to start slow and see if the market responds before investing too much. This is our first product and from what I’ve read, we need to be careful not to mortage everything on it, though it’s tempting. :)

Mick, is it a cane or crutch? What problem does it solve? wwe are working on assistive device also, but sounds likee not same.

It’s a crutch of sorts, not a cane. You have me curious. Any way to compare products safely? Wait, not to be crude or anything, but did I just sort of say “I’ll show you mine if you show me your’s?” Hope I didn’t offend anyone. :)

LOL Mick. We are not working on the same product based on what you told me. Good luck with limited production of your crutch of sorts product! I hope your idea finds a fertile ground.

I have a product in 2 LPS`s right now for pet care but I also see this device as a possible medical product so if the LPS`s fall through I will start looking into medical device companies to approach. When you look at your idea try to think of other uses for it, you will be surprised what you come up with. Good luck.

Medical devices seem to be a specialized world, with FDA and liability and all. Very interesting and challenging. If I can get this done, I believe I’ll be able to do anything! I think my biggest challenge is lawyers. :)

Mich, I am at very early stages of working on our idea. Were do I find information about FDA standards, liability, lawers, etc? I don’t have a clue :(. Thanks!

Start here. There are companies and lawyers versed in FDA that can help, but I prefer learning everything I can without paying for it, unless I absolutely have to. Bootstrapping 101!
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DeviceRegulat...

If you still want a “for profit” consultant, contact: Shirley Smith @ www.pharmamedresources.com

Liability is another issue that I am working on now. I’m finding that basic labeling and a good insurance policy are most likely the answer there.

Thanks Mick!!

Mick, I am not trying to burst your bubble, but want you to look at this statement you made which makes me ask these questions. Your statement above was “Several patents aim to do the same thing, but not quite the same way. Nothing on the market.”

1. Of the patents you found that do the same thing, but not the same way as yours, how many of those are on the market?

2.If none of them are on the market it would make me ask why? Is it because there is not enough of a difference to make a consumer pick it over what is already on the market?

3. Is it not cost effective to produce?

4. Is it a niche product and not enough of a percentage within that niche would purchase it?

5. Is it to high of a learning curve for the consumer?

Remember what I always say " Just because it is patentable, does not mean it is marketable".

http://www.rogerbrown.net

Roger- I’ve asked the same questions and am doing everything I can to figure it all out.
1. Only 2 devices on the market that do sort of the same thing but in different ways.
2. My device is very different in how you use it, mine is more crutch, one other is more cane, the third is more temporary prosthetic.
3. In looking at the other patents, I can see that their device would be costly to produce and therefore too high at retail to get traction. Ours is innovative and much simpler. We are engineering and testing now, hoping to cost it out within the next couple of months.
4. The raw market is quite large (roughly 1.25 mil. per year and growing). I’m working hard to come up with a realistic % that would purchase and use it. Research is long and hard, especially if you can’t afford to pay for it.
5. We are looking at this aspect right now also. Using a prototype on a few family and close friends to see how to make it as universal as possible.

I’m learning that patentable and marketable are difficult and expensive. I’m formulating a sales and marketing plan. I’m very fortunate to have 2 inventors networks nearby to help think through all of these challenges. I also found out that the colonel lives within 20 miles of me. We hope to connect in the next couple of days. I’ve also been reading all I can.

Tell me, do you need to have a patent and a successful product to consider yourself an inventor? I came up with my idea without knowing others had similar thoughts in the past. As Louis Foreman said to our inventors group on Tuesday, “it takes more than a great idea, it takes execution to be successful”. I’m working toward that!

Thanks so much for the helpful questions.

Hi Mick Hanna I am replying to your search questions earlier, I am just writing in to say I spoke with a USPTO person recently and was asking about some search stuff and he suggested an “advanced” google search pretty big difference if you google “advanced patent search” you will see a much better patent search system then the regular google patent search. This was advice from the USPTO because they themselves use the advanced google search pretty funny if you ask me, but it does work very well check it out… Hope it helps.