If you are new at inventing or designing new products, we strongly urge you to protect yourself legally in a number of ways. Prior to discussing your idea with anyone, you should obtain a non-disclosure agreement, such as the one you see on the next page. We would be pleased to sign it. Basically, it states that we are going to share information for possible future business. If you disclose information on a product that we are working on or have worked on, it is our responsibility to notify you at the time we are in conversation.

Keep a written record of all activities on your idea and DO NOT DISCUSS THEM WITH ANYONE (INCLUDING FAMILY AND FRIENDS) until you are sure that you are legally protected. In a dispute, your written record will be the document that will resolve the dispute. This actually happened to us one time when a major university threatened to sue us for infringing on their pending patent. Strangely, they never considered that they might be infringing on ours. Our notes started one week before theirs and once we documented that with them, they backed off. We got the patent!

When should you see an attorney? If your idea has merit, you should contact a patent attorney. Obtaining patents is a specialized trade and an experienced patent attorney will earn his or her wages well and take good care of you. It has been our experience that lawyer jokes, in general, do not apply to patent attorneys. The patent attorney should be with you from the onset of your quest and still be there at the end if you can afford it. If you have questions to ask us, we will answer them to the best of our ability based on our experience. Bruce and I hold three patents between us. However, keep in mind that our answers are opinions and we are not in the business of practicing law.

Good Luck!

Bruce and Jack

View our Printable Non-Disclosure Agreement (NOTE: Place your company's letterhead in your printer before printing, then fill your company's name in the blank space provided. Sign and date your copy, fax or mail the Non-Disclosure form to us at the address above.)