Taking A Look At The Biggest Mistakes Inventors Make When Filing A Patent Without An Attorney

You have your new product developed and ready to go, so filing your patent is your next steps as an inventor. While there is nothing saying that you have to hire a patent attorney before you file for a patent on your new invention, in a lot of cases, it will be in your best interest to do so. Filing for a patent can turn out to be a much more complicated process than many inventors realize. Therefore, there is a lot of room for mistakes. Here is a look at some of the most common mistakes new inventors make when they file for a patent without the aid of a patent attorney. 

Mistake: Trying to get a patent on an incomplete project. 

Why? An invention is a fully developed product, ready to go to production and be marketed  to the public. Therefore, if you submit your invention for patent review before it is actually ready, you will likely see the patent rejected. The problem lies in the fact that in many cases, an inventor doesn't realize how fully developed their product must be and are rejected because of it. A patent attorney can help you ensure you are completely ready to submit for a patent. 

Mistake: Improperly filing and completing paperwork. 

Why? The application for a patent can be a long process, one of which you will have to be extremely careful with what you do. The wrong words in your description or application can completely change what you are trying to convey about your invention. Once you hire a patent attorney, they will help you ensure that all of your paperwork is properly filled out and filed so you can better convey the message you need to send about your new invention. 

Mistake: Revealing the details of your invention to too many people. 

Why? Your new invention should be kept as a closely guarded secret. However, there may always be third-party individuals who are involved in developing your product who have access to information that could leave your idea at risk for being stolen. Therefore, not only should you keep your invention details mostly to yourself, you should have the proper legal documentation drawn up to prevent others from disclosing details to someone who may steal your ideas. Your patent attorney can help you with this matter by producing non-disclosure agreements that you can make a part of every transaction pertaining to your new product.