5 Steps to Become an Inventor

Before quitting your day job to become an inventor check out the 5 steps below.

Below is a summary of an article that appeared in Popular Mechanics (popularmechanics.com) If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog or need assistance with the design, engineering, specifying for manufacturing, graphic design, packaging design, prototyping, or manufacturing of your product, please visit our website at www.frethot.com.

1. Cultivate and Idea

• You're idea needs to be new, useful, and nonobvious (search the database of issued patents at patft.uspto.gov).
• Expect to spend double the time you originally thought and quadruple the dollar amount you anticipated.
• Keep detailed notes.
• Be sure you're idea is worth committing to and that you can commit to it.

2. Build a Prototype

• See our previous blog about prototyping materials (link)
• Build a prototype yourself or have our experience designers and engineers assist you with the process.
• Troubleshoot your product and get outside opinions (make sure to get confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements from those you share your idea with).
  

3. File a Patent

• See our previous blog exploring the differences between Provision and Non-Provision Patents (link).
• Patent approval takes and average of 3 years.
  

4. Test the Market

• You may want to find a business partner.
• Perform market research.
• Visit Trade Shows

5. Sell it or Make it

• An inventor can choose to license a product and earn royalties or manufacture their invention.
• Many inventors find that they can-not successfully license the product until a product is designed and specified for the manufacturing process. This is where frethot's experience is essential. frethot can generate technical drawings for your product and provide the specifications that manufacturers need to produce it.
• If you plan to manufacturer your product, frethot can also help. In order to have a product produced or even quoted to be produced by a manufacturer, the manufacturer will need detailed 2D drawings and a Bill of Materials (and many times 3D CAD files also). This is where frethot’s core services lie. frethot can provide the documents required by a manufacturer to quote and produce your product.
• frethot is a manufacturer's representative and can help you locate a reputable source either domestic or international.

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