Inventions...

OK - I have an idea - not a new invention, but something that I think would be of great value to the automotive industry. The idea involves adding a fuction to a car that would, I believe, be a welcome fuction to car owners. I also believe it would be fairly easy to design, although I'm not very mecahnically inclined, so I doubt I could actually build it to demonstrate. I'm figuring my idea would be of interest to auto makers as something they could add to a car as either an option or standard feature.

My question is; what do i do with my idea? Where do I start?

TIA

 

ive tried to figure this out too !!!! but the silicone implants dont stay glued onto the steering wheel......

 

If you just want to write it in as a suggestion and have no interest in compensation, then it's pretty easy. Probably send a bunch of letters to customer support, heads of car design, VP's of engineering, VP's of marketing, etc. There's a good chance it will get buried, but there's also a chance it will get listened to. Writing it in to automotive industry journalists is another good route. If you get those guys to write about your idea then the car guys will read/hear about it eventually and consider it.

If you want to retain rights to it and want protection, you could try describing it to the best of your ability, hire a patent lawyer, plan on paying $5-15K depending on how rough a time the USPTO gives you and plan on it taking 3-5 years to a patent being issued. You don't have to have a model to file a patent, but you do have to explain how it works and why it's different/unique. Once you get the patent, your battle to commercialize it has just gotten started. See next paragraph.

If you want the auto companies to listen to you and pay you for your idea, whether you have a patent or not, then it probably won't happen. Most manufacturing companies don't like to listen to people with ideas - some of that is NIH (not invented here) syndrome; but a larger portion is that people who are in the business actually have already thought of 99.9% of the ideas that people come to them with. If they listen and the idea is actually already in development and then comes out, then these people get the impression that the mfr stole their ideas and they file a lawsuit. Much easier for a mfr to have a policy that they don't listen to unsolicited ideas or proposals. Even if the idea doesn't come out as a product doesn't mean the mfr hasn't thought of the idea. A lot of developments never get into a product because the mfr decides: it's too expensive, it's not as popular as they first thought, there's some liability factor they're worried about, it conflicts with a marketing or product message they want to sustain, etc.

This sounds pretty grim, but that's pretty much the way it works. If you really do have a unique and commercially viable idea, the best way to get it into a product is to start an aftermarket product company to create, promote and sell it. If it really is successful and you have a patent, then it is much more likely that someone will come to you and say, we want to buy this.

 

Just remember how the guy that invented the intermittent wiper circuit got screwed by Siemens and GM.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54564-2005Feb25.html

Monetarily he was rewarded (although by my estimation not enough) but that obviously wasn't what he was after.

 

Yeah, that's sad. And he *had* patents.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54564-2005Feb25.html

What an incredibly sad story - the kind that makes my blood boil when I think of the millions of dollars the auto makers make, and they couldn't give this guy is due?

YIN - thank you very much for the feedback! Very helpful! Indeed, it is kind of a downer, but maybe I'll think of a way - and try the aftermarket route. Thanks again!

 

I thought Lucas had cornered the market on intermittent electric devices.

 

Hahaha

 

Nice overview, Yin.

 

You could give your idea to the Invention Submission Corporation! They'll help you!

 

You could call this company and they would probably tell you that your idea of marketing female dog crap in a brown baggy is awesome and all ya gotta do is simply mail them a check! I HATE these companies! They are right up there with all the thieves that push doing imfomercials for your hot new product.

 

Be careful...many & most of these invention-help companies are NOT what you think they are: they are out to sell you on services that help you get a patent, they'll take your money, offer you their services and that's about it. They're not about to buy your idea or connect you with people who will.

Sad truth is, it's really tough nowadays to get your ideas out. Unless you can make it and sell it on your own, odds are very slim you can make much headway. Unless it's new technology you're in a tough situation.

Good luck!!!!

 

Here's a recent example of someone coming up with a superior idea and promoting it after self-development.

http://turbotap.com/Products/

Makes me proud to be an American!