# Patent? I Need Feedback



## Dman (Jan 7, 2013)

I'm thinking about applying for a patent on a system I came up with to set the tension on the trunnion and round bar springs of a weight distribution hitch. The patent road is a very expensive road to travel on. I am looking to see if there would be any interest in such a product. I would like to list the advantages of this system....#1 This system that I have designed sets the spring bar tension without the need to raise your tow vehicle. #2 Thus reducing the hitch time to a fraction of the norm. #3 Once you have set your tension and raised your jack, often you find that you need more tension on the springs.....this can now be adjusted in seconds without the use of your jack. #4 This system will affix to the A-frame of your trailer without interference from the propane bottles. #5 This system is silent...there will be no more popping and cracking noise from the chains and the snap-up hooks when cornering. #6 There is far better sway control than with snap up hooks and chains. #7 This system works with your existing weight distribution hitch as it replaces the chains and snap-up hooks. #8 My wife can do this, It's easy. #9 Last but certainly not lest...this system has a 12 to 1 safety factor rating. Necessity is the mother of invention. After almost fracturing my wrist on a snap-up hook release, I decided there had to be a better way. Your feed back with this system would be greatly appriciated.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Sounds like a question for CamperAndy.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Not sure if I am the guy to answer if this is a viable product but I will say I need to see a sketch as I am for sure a visual kind of guy.


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## LaydBack (Aug 22, 2010)

thefulminator said:


> Sounds like a question for CamperAndy.


Maybe he should bounce it off of me....I'm a neutral party, having moved to a fiver, and being a perfectionist to the point of being "@[email protected]" as my wife would say. I think I had enough hitch trouble to be the perfect test dummy.


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## KTMRacer (Jun 28, 2010)

as an individual and not a corporation, there is (unless changed in the last few years) a much lower cost process for filing and getting a patent. the US patent office website might have information on the process. Put in place a few years ago to help the individual inventor with a lower cost and less combersome process.

In the meantime, be careful to make sure you don't risk your patent rights. Public disclosure (and this forum might be considered public) could risk your patent rights. Not sure today, but at least a few years ago, the clock started ticking the first time an invention was discussed/disclosed/offered for sale to the "public" and patent application had to be filed with one year of that date. One of the questions on the patent application form deals with this issue in gory detail.

That said, the existing WD systems with snap up brackets definitely could use improvement, especially in the safety during attach/detach, as you admit to being caught by. Know too many folks, myself included who have had close calls with snap up brackets.


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## Dman (Jan 7, 2013)

I can't tell you how much I would like to show this device to you. Trying to keep it safe. Thanks


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

thefulminator said:


> Sounds like a question for CamperAndy.


I was meaning more from a how hard is it to get a patent angle, not if your device is patent







or not.


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

I was taught that using the trailer jack to raise the back end of my truck when the trailer and truck are connected takes care of all the tension. In almost seven years of doing this, I've never had an issue.

It makes snapping and unsnapping the bars as easy as mud. No fear of broken wrists or any other pain.

YMMV


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## Dman (Jan 7, 2013)

KTMRacer said:


> as an individual and not a corporation, there is (unless changed in the last few years) a much lower cost process for filing and getting a patent. the US patent office website might have information on the process. Put in place a few years ago to help the individual inventor with a lower cost and less combersome process.
> 
> In the meantime, be careful to make sure you don't risk your patent rights. Public disclosure (and this forum might be considered public) could risk your patent rights. Not sure today, but at least a few years ago, the clock started ticking the first time an invention was discussed/disclosed/offered for sale to the "public" and patent application had to be filed with one year of that date. One of the questions on the patent application form deals with this issue in gory detail.
> 
> That said, the existing WD systems with snap up brackets definitely could use improvement, especially in the safety during attach/detach, as you admit to being caught by. Know too many folks, myself included who have had close calls with snap up brackets.


Thanks for the input I do injoy it. This tensioning device has been run through the Attorneys office for there in house search. I think there having a hard time believing that this has not been done yet because of the simplicity. I just got the results back from the search firm teusday. ( WOW had that for 3 weeks) That big money got me copies of lots of patents. Namely, Anderson, Blue Ox and scores of others. The firm found nothing like this at all. The next big decision. Manufacture? Sell?


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

It appears to me (a non-lawyer) that you'd better get the patent-applied-for process started asap. You can apply for a patent relatively easily (drawings, claims and stuff like that) but dates really make a difference. Don't lose your chance to have a great idea become someone elses' property because they read this site and ran (not walked) to file the patent application before you did.


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## KTMRacer (Jun 28, 2010)

hautevue said:


> It appears to me (a non-lawyer) that you'd better get the patent-applied-for process started asap. You can apply for a patent relatively easily (drawings, claims and stuff like that) but dates really make a difference. Don't lose your chance to have a great idea become someone elses' property because they read this site and ran (not walked) to file the patent application before you did.


especially since the US is moving from first to invent to first to file for patent rights. You can always submit a provisional patent to get dates set in the record and follow up with the completed patent. IIRC you have 1 year from the provisional application date to file the full patent application.


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## Joe/GA (Aug 14, 2009)

I will be very interested in your experience, since I have a few ideas that I would like to patent. However, I have been put off by the expense. So, keep us abreast of your experience and I wish you every success.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Just some free advicehere...

Before you go down the patent process - and yes it's called a process for a reason - trust me -- make sure that it is economically viable for you to even patent whatever you are going to call this. There are so many well liked and established hitches and "devices" on the market now which will directly compete with you, that this will need to clearly demonstrate why having this product will make life better and be inexpensive enough where people are willing to purchase.

All rhetorical questions - but How are you going to sell it? - get it to market? - Develop a website and operate it? Who is going to manufacturer it for you? Are you just going to license it instead to a big boy hitch company? If so you will probably have to develop at least two working prototypes for them to look at. Do you have the right contacts in the RVIA market to gain access to the big boys?

If overseas manufactured you are looking at at least two trips abroad just to set up the production... and the initial cost of labor, parts, customs, tax, shipping, storage, legal, etc ... you will need to become a LLC so the first person that this hurts inadvertently doesn't sue you for everything that you own and takes your life's income from you -- and then there is the whole Quality Control and Quality Assurance concerns - if manufactured in the states the cost will be higher and probably allot more lawyer/legal involvement - and you have to do all of that and still sell it at a price point that folks are willing to pay.

Sadly sometimes a better mousetrap is simply not needed. You just have to ask folks (that are not friends or family because both will lie to you not to hurt your feelings) - but ask folks - how much would you be willing to pay for this and WHY?

Then you take what the avg person is willing to pay - subtract out your avg startup costs of 40K-100K and see if there is a profit in it for you...

Personally I would suggest contacting a Patent Attorney first and doing a good patent search - but thats just me


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## Dman (Jan 7, 2013)

Ghosty said:


> Just some free advicehere...
> 
> Before you go down the patent process - and yes it's called a process for a reason - trust me -- make sure that it is economically viable for you to even patent whatever you are going to call this. There are so many well liked and established hitches and "devices" on the market now which will directly compete with you, that this will need to clearly demonstrate why having this product will make life better and be inexpensive enough where people are willing to purchase.
> 
> ...


So you've been there or know someone that has. Great advise. Do alot of people a favor in the future and copy that just for these applications. Because of a few mishapes with these snap-up hooks I have looked for years to find a better way to set this tension. I came up with a plan that worked very well for me. If that's all that becomes of this, that's all I wanted. If someone else can benefit from it, That's Great


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