Anyone here with PATENT experience?

**theman1990** · 07-29-2009, 10:38

As some of you may know, I'm a one armed med student. Well I'm entertaining the idea of a surgical specialty, but there is nothing out there prosthesis wise for me to use. I've been asking the VA for two years to find/develop something, which they of course have not...

Well I've spent several weeks designing and developing a working surgical prosthetic attachment (no, I'm NOT an engineer) at great expense to my person free time etc. Given that I've put all this work into, I'm not too keen on just "handing it over to the VA" like they want. Does anyone here have any experience in what it takes to patent something?

Yes I realize there are lots of website with a wealth of info that may/may not be right, as well as businesses that will do it for me for like 99% of any profit realized, but I'm looking for real world first hand info on this!! Please help!

**BATMANs** · 07-29-2009, 10:55

I'm currently using Clifford Poff for my IP work.

He has been doing this for decades.

Tell him that DMTI referred u.

9800 Mcknight Rd # B
Pittsburgh, PA 15237-6004
Phone: (412) 366-6200

An example of the medical device:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4854327.html

**Arshad** · 07-29-2009, 13:10

I've filed a few technology related patents through work. We have both in-house and outside counsel that we work with in drafting the patents. If there are specific questions, I'd be glad to try and answer them. We also have one or two patent attorneys on this forum as they've posted on patent related threads in the past.

Here's an older thread on the topic:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69589

**queenlives** · 07-29-2009, 13:23

iirc, prime member RUSS is a patent atty.

**Blackend** · 07-29-2009, 13:55

Correct me if I'm wrong (which I probably am

) but isn't a patent just a tool for the general public to copy and change a little to produce on their own? I've heard horror stories of people getting a patent for an invention of theirs, and while trying to find someone to produce it, seen infomercials on their exact product with a minor alteration so as to avoid the patent infringment. It sounds to me like there is a huge manufacturing organization out there with a couple of spotters at the patent office picking off the little guy for as much profit as possible. I know I'm probabaly overreacting on it, but I've made a couple of products, and have always been leery of trying to obtain a patent on them for these reasons. I've also noticed that most of the infomercial-type products say patent pending, which I interpret as that manufacturer sniping another product and obtaining the patent after they've rushed it to market...

Call me a skeptic!

**BATMANs** · 07-29-2009, 14:03

Originally Posted by Blackend

Correct me if I'm wrong (which I probably am

) but isn't a patent just a tool for the general public to copy and change a little to produce on their own? I've heard horror stories of people getting a patent for an invention of theirs, and while trying to find someone to produce it, seen infomercials on their exact product with a minor alteration so as to avoid the patent infringment. It sounds to me like there is a huge manufacturing organization out there with a couple of spotters at the patent office picking off the little guy for as much profit as possible. I know I'm probabaly overreacting on it, but I've made a couple of products, and have always been leery of trying to obtain a patent on them for these reasons. I've also noticed that most of the infomercial-type products say patent pending, which I interpret as that manufacturer sniping another product and obtaining the patent after they've rushed it to market...

Call me a skeptic!

True.

there are software that are designed to "picket-fence" around poorly written patents.

A good patent-writer, which is hard to find can do miracles with regards to preventing the picket fence as best they can.

**Ski_Banker** · 07-29-2009, 17:12

I don't have any patent experience, but certainly consulting a patent attorney would be a good first step. Working with a good engineer would be a close second, too.

Not to give pause to what you're pursuing, but a few things struck me from a business standpoint that ought to be considered I think.

Is there a market for a "surgical" prosthetic hand/arm? Will the prosthetic only be useful for surgery or surgical-like precision? Or will it just be a much better prosthetic for the general public? If it's only functional for surgery, I think the market size might be very very small. Also, I'm not sure how medical malpractice insurance providers would view covering a surgeon that uses a prosthetic.

Food for thought. Otherwise, good luck!

**pbassjo** · 07-29-2009, 17:50

Originally Posted by queenlives

iirc, prime member RUSS is a patent atty.

That's your guy. +1

**theman1990** · 07-30-2009, 18:47

Originally Posted by Ski_Banker

I don't have any patent experience, but certainly consulting a patent attorney would be a good first step. Working with a good engineer would be a close second, too.

Not to give pause to what you're pursuing, but a few things struck me from a business standpoint that ought to be considered I think.

Is there a market for a "surgical" prosthetic hand/arm? Will the prosthetic only be useful for surgery or surgical-like precision? Or will it just be a much better prosthetic for the general public? If it's only functional for surgery, I think the market size might be very very small. Also, I'm not sure how medical malpractice insurance providers would view covering a surgeon that uses a prosthetic.

Food for thought. Otherwise, good luck!

The market is ME.... lol What it comes down to is mostly being able to get the VA to pay for it. They won't pay for some idea i just dreamt up and asked for, it needs to be a real 'product.'

AS far as any insurers attempting to refuse to insure me b/c I'm disabled, well, that get's reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal deep into 'discrimination' territory. I mean, so b/c i lack a hand I'm not allowed to do this line of work? Then we should probably also stop letting women do it, b/c it may take some muscle. Also, people who have small hands, such as a midget surgeon (yes, they exist) need to be stopped, too... See what I mean? I understand if I CANNOT do the job, however, I can... My suturing looks better than many of my two handed classmates...

I ran into this same thought process with the Army. One hand? you can't fly helicopters anymore! Impossible! Never mind that the FAA had checked me out for my civilian ratings...