What’s your clever idea?
Kids bedding with buttons? How in the world did THAT concept come to mind? Well, as the majority of inventions, it was born out of necessity. Like many parents with young children, my son kept waking at night, and I was, quite frankly, desperate for a solid night’s rest. So, when I couldn’t take it anymore, I frantically began searching his room for clues to put an end to this disruptive sleep pattern. And as I looked with purpose, Eureka! For the first time, his kicked-off bedding stood out like a sore thumb, and I thought, “Could these untucked sheets be the cause of the endless sleep disruptions?” Having nothing to lose, I fastened his sheets together that night to see if this was indeed the disruptor. He did. And that’s how our innovative kids’ bedding with buttons was born.
Before children, I had never thought of myself as an inventor.
But after talking with other parents, I realized that most stay-at-home moms and dads have unique ideas daily. Yep, our days fill up with dodging meltdowns, problem-solving, and trying to find helpful products to make our lives a little easier. Problem-solving is so systematic; we often don’t even realize we are doing it. Most of the time, we’re just forging ahead, jumping endless hurdles, until we meet the daily finish line…bedtime.
In today’s society, there are hundreds of mom and dad inventors.
With the world at our fingertips, we experience an issue, search to buy the problem-solving gadget to fix it, and, if we can’t find it, we invent it! I mean, all of the research to successfully patent your idea is on the web. You have to know where to start. Having no business background, when I decided to develop my product for the market, believe it or not, I found a book titled The Mom Inventor’s Handbook, written by Tamara Monosoff. Tamara’s guidance was perfect for a novice like me. Check it out and see if it fits for you:)
In the meantime, to get you started, here are a few tips:
First things first: Thoroughly research to see if your idea is patentable. Here’s how:
1. Search your potential product with specific keywords on Amazon
For example, I searched kids’ bedding with buttons, bedding with buttons, sheets with buttons, and other relevant keyword combinations.
2. Visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office Website.
This link will take you directly to the patent search page. Again, search-relevant keywords for your category and product. For more detailed information, go to their home page.
3. Search your key terms in Google Patents.
This link takes you directly to the patent search tab. You will be amazed at how many patents you will see! Take your time, be thorough, and don’t get discouraged if your idea is already patented. I’m sure you have many more helpful ideas to explore:)
Once I discovered my idea was unmatched,
I studied Patent It Yourself by Patent Attorney David Pressman and David Blau. Here, I learned two different types of patents, Utility and Design, to consider when patenting a product. I also learned how to write and file a Provisional Patent Application—filing this temporary, affordable ($200.00) patent application with the USPTO reserves your rights to the idea for one year. In this book, there are easy-to-follow Provisional Patent templates, along with sample drawings, you can follow to write and file your Provisional Patent successfully. Blau and Pressman also explain how to write a Non-Provisional Patent or what I call “The Real Deal” patent. After much thought and discussion with experienced professionals, although expensive ( between $6,000.00 – $10,000.00), I opted to hire a patent attorney. Many people do write their own to save money. Think about it, do your research and see what fits for you. If the cost is intimidating, I worked out a payment plan with my patent attorney like it was for me. You know what they say, “If there’s a will, there’s a way”:)
Your ideas are unique, just like you:) At Tucked+Covered, we want your dreams to come true:) So, rest well, dream big and enjoy the journey:)
Good Luck:)