Do any of you have any experience in approaching reloading equipment manufacturers with new product ideas?

Which one(s) were or are easiest/best to approach?

I also am looking for input/help from a mechanical engineer.

[ 03-23-2003, 23:24: Message edited by: sonofagun ]

Read US patent 4,675,958.
There are advantages for cocenticity there, but I don't see anyone marketing it.

I would start with making a working system of your own and then patent it. Then approach all the manufacurors of handloading equiptment.

BTT

(whatever that means)

I am a consulting engineer, and I know lots of other engineers.
There is a common conversation we have with others.
We are told by someone that they have a great idea, they just need someone to work out the details.
Happens all the time.

If you live in a town or city near a Jr. college, or Small Business Development Program (federal), contact them to see if there is a local "inventor's club". If there is, join it. You will hear free advice from patent attorneys, licensing agents, product development specialists, etc., at the club meetings. You will also get the names and addresses of truly useful people.

Whatever you do, stay away from those firms that advertise on TV. They are a great way to spend $3,000-$5,000 for a "market analysis", and perhaps never see any further progress. According to a local patent attorney, one of the more famous of that ilk has been in business for something like 50 years and has only brought 2 actual products to market!

Often you will find a patent is the last thing you need anyway. First off, patents are very easy to circumvent. Second they offer no protection at all until the SECOND time you have won in court (which is NOT cheap). The first time you get a person or company into court, all you are likely to win is an order from the court forbidding the accused from continuing to violate your patent. The second time, if you win, you MAY get some damages, if you can get the court to agree on the extent to which you have been damaged.

Second, patents DO require disclosure of your methodology/design to the public domain. With that available to the public at large, if the idea seems to have large value, you can bet some established firm in the field will put their engineers to "improving" your patent. The law requires only a "15% improvement" to grant THEM a patent. (What constitutes a 15% improvement is NOT defined in law, so it may be a relatively minor improvement, or perhaps just a minor design change with no improvement in function at all.)

Often a better approach is to work out a marketing scheme, arrange for manufacture & distribution, sell a jillion of them in the time before a surprised competitor can bring an improved product to market, quit the business and invent something else.

Another problem for small inventors is that large companies can afford to put some of their staff lawyers to work delaying the infringement proceedings for 3-5 years. Most small inventors can't afford the $250,000-$500,000 it will take to combat those delaying tactics and finally get to court, even if their claim is rock-solid.

A couple of other pieces of info...whoever you discuss your invention with, including family members, make them sign a non-disclosure agreement before telling them or showing them ANYTHING related to your invention.

Two, don't count much on help from existing companies. If their products are already selling, why do they want to see a new product on the market which will require promotion dollars?

Also, don't count on having the product manufactured overseas, then selling it here. Many foreign countries ignore U.S. patents, particularly Asian countries. They rip off your design, manufacture a zillion of them, and sell them in the U.S. If you sue, they have three choices...1) fight the suit, or 2) close down that particular packaging/product name and walk away with no developmental or legal costs, or 3) let you win the suit, then violate your patent again and go with option "2" when nailed the second time.

Even if they decide to fight the suit and you have a bunch of money you want to give to lawyers to pursue them...many foreign manufacturers are owned either publicly or secretly by the countries in which they are located. They have lawyers all over the place to fight you at virtually no cost to them...I mean, they haveta feed those guys and their families one way or another anyway...

And lastly, the "Catch 22"...though they are always happy to "improve" your product once your patent puts your design into the public domain, curent U.S. manufacturers won't talk to you at all unless you already have a patent and show it to them. I.e., show them the design so they can ignore it and improve your patent on their own. (And your patent will assure them no one else has the idea protected while they're doing it....)

Live ain't easy for the small inventor who can't do his own manufacture, promotion and distribution.

Best wishes and good luck,

AC

[ 03-25-2003, 03:47: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]

VERY encouraging Alberta!

But also very realistic I'm sure!!

Thank you.

See my posting on "Gunsmithing" on this too!
Help me out guys - I THINK (or at least HOPE) you'll find this re-design of a familiar reloading tool VERY interesting, helpful, and definitely an improvement.

[ 03-25-2003, 20:07: Message edited by: sonofagun ]