Grant,
I can tell you from personal experience patents are a very expensive proposition. Once you have obtained a patent and its published it is open for all to see. A 20 percent change in the original design is often all that is nessasary to get around the original design. If you have the bucks to litigate well then you may have a chance. If you don't, then think twice about doing so. Electronic circuits sometimes are potted with material that disguise whats in side. If you remove the potting material you may destroy the design underneath. I suppose you could always x-ray the underneath. Also in prototype developement when the product is tested or any pre release publicity is issued describing the product in drawing or photos you have one year from the first disclosure date to file for patent protection. Tom
I can tell you from personal experience patents are a very expensive proposition. Once you have obtained a patent and its published it is open for all to see. A 20 percent change in the original design is often all that is nessasary to get around the original design. If you have the bucks to litigate well then you may have a chance. If you don't, then think twice about doing so. Electronic circuits sometimes are potted with material that disguise whats in side. If you remove the potting material you may destroy the design underneath. I suppose you could always x-ray the underneath. Also in prototype developement when the product is tested or any pre release publicity is issued describing the product in drawing or photos you have one year from the first disclosure date to file for patent protection. Tom