# How do you patent something?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-patent-something/293209>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 6, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-patent-something/293209 "2005-03-06T15:20:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-patent-something/293209/1 "2005-03-06T15:20:01Z")

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for the sake of argument… let’s say i have an idea on an improvement on an existing product… let’s further say i have no manufacturing capability. How would i go about trying to patent the idea?

subquestion: assuming i was able to successfully patent it… how would i go about actually selling/marketing the idea to the appropriate manufacturer?

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**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-patent-something/293209/2 "2005-03-06T15:22:43Z")

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i forget wut it’s called, but the thread right below mine is: Wut’s wrong w/ this product… kinda funny 😛

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**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-patent-something/293209/3 "2005-03-06T21:57:51Z")

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This is a pretty good site on the patent process:

[http://www.baypatents.com/](http://www.baypatents.com/)

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-patent-something/293209/4 "2005-03-07T01:24:46Z")

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You contact a patent attorney who researches whether or not there is prior art, prepares the paperwork and submits same on your behalf to the patent office. If all is good, it costs around $5K.

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**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-patent-something/293209/5 "2005-03-07T02:30:26Z")

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> [@danceswithcats](#):
>
> You contact a patent attorney who researches whether or not there is prior art, prepares the paperwork and submits same on your behalf to the patent office. If all is good, it costs around $5K.

Don’t forget the time and expense of detailed drawings, etc. Add and Kilobuck or so.  
:smack: The OP says …let’s say i have an idea on an improvement on an existing product… First off prepare details of the improvement to submit to the pattent attorney.

dwc my apologies for butting in. sg