How To Find Out About An Invention Q

[cassa333]

Hello,

I have no idea where this question should go so if it is in the wrong place please let me know and I'll move it :)

I have had a really good idea for a piece of surgical equipment that would be fitted into the body to help with (at the moment) a sepcific problem that would eliviate a side effect leading to failier of the procedure.

At this stage it is just an idea (that I think has not been used or tried otherwise they would have used it on me lol lol) so not sure what materials it would be used with or if there is something similar used for a different purpose.

Any ideas on where to start looking? I will be seeing my surgeon next month and if I mention it to him he will probably be able to do it but I would have thought he would take the credit LOL.

Sometimes new inventions or new was of using old things are so simple that no one thinks of them!!!

[EcclesCake]

Write it down in as much detail as you can with drawings if possible. Put it in an envelope and post it to yourself. You can then demonstrate by date when you had this idea before exploring the potential with your surgeon or anyone else.

If it has legs you can then formalise the patent process if appropriate.

[cassa333]

Thats a good idea. Does it work legally?

[EcclesCake]

When I've been on IP courses it was a method recommended to demonstrate when you had the idea. Log books etc can be tampered with whereas a postmark is a different ball game.

Don't open the envelope and double wrap with the inner envelope having your signature across the sealed flaps.

If your invention/innovation is unique then you will be able to use the date stamp as evidence of when you came up with the idea. For the purpose of a patent I am led to believe this is adequate evidence in law.

[buildersmate]

I would not talk to your surgeon at all - he/she won't develop it and as you say might just take the credit.
These sort of things take a massive amount of money in testing before they are allowed to be used - especially if it goes inside the body, so only a medical research appliance company is going to want to do this.
I would Google for a medical research company in the general area of what you are thinking about, then phone a few to find out who to write to, regarding ideas.
It'll have to be good though to interest them

[heathfield]

Although the link below refers to the procedure in the USA, it'll give you some idea of the sort of process to be followed here if later you are called on to prove the dating on your ideas. Advice is, ask a patents attorney how you should go about it...

http://web.mit.edu/invent/h-chapters/h-seven.html

[chakka35]

It was certainly once a recognised way of establishing precedence but how many Royal Mail franked letters (as distinct from office-franked) have a clear date and time on the postmark nowadays? Get your envelope office-franked.

[squarebear]

This so called "poor man's copyright" has no bearing in a court of law.