Here you are, with this whiz bang invention idea. You’ve done your homework and so far the product has passed with flying colors. Now you need to put it on paper and see if it will actually work.

Welcome to the fifth part of our 10-part series, what you need to know about designing and prototyping your invention.

If you don’t know what the acronym CAD stands for, then you will have to hire an engineer to help you design the invention. Engineers can help take your idea from something on the back of a paper napkin, and put it into a form that prototypers, manufacturers, and other product designers understand. To find engineers you can ask members of your local inventor association. More associations can be found under the United Inventor Association link. You can try finding them through classified in your newspaper or craigslist.com. Prices will range from $25-$75 per hour depending on that person’s experience, quality, and complexity of the invention. Once you have the design in a CAD format, you’re ready to think about putting it into physical form . . . the prototype.

Why create prototypes? Prototypes have a couple of really important uses:

1. They help you further refine the design of your invention. Maybe the way you originally designed it, it didn’t quite work.
2. Building a prototype before applying for a utility patent will give you a stronger patent.
3. You can use the prototype to show the full potential to potential licensees and retailers

Why build a prototype before submitting a utility patent application? It’s been recommended by patent attorneys and agents we’ve talked to that inventors prototype their invention several times before filing for a patent. That’s because the design is likely to drastically change as you find out what works and what doesn’t work in your prototypes. By having a more complete design, you’ll also set yourself up for a stronger patent down the road. Spend money on prototypes now to save yourself TONS of money later. Also, the simpler and smaller your invention, the cheaper it will be to prototype.

Just be aware that you’ll create many different prototypes, so the best thing to do is start building them cheaply in your garage. As your prototypes get closer to the final design, start spending more money to prototype them. The three stages of prototypes are developmental, alpha, and beta prototypes, with a beta prototype being near full-functionality and looking/feeling almost like a final product. Each stage the prototype looks and behaves more like a finished product. But each stage also costs more.

Here are some different methods to prototype, starting from cheapest (developmental prototypes) to most expensive (beta prototypes):

• using materials from Home Depot - <$100
• a virtual prototype animation on the computer - $00’s
• rapid prototyping - $00-$000’s or roughly $40 per cubic centimeter of material
• working with metal and plastic - $000’s
• using molds - $000-$0,000’s

We recommend you find out more by contacting prototype companies, listening to prototyping recommendations, and talking to other inventors how they prototyped their invention. One of our members has even uploaded a presentation about prototyping.

When you’re ready to pay for alpha and beta prototypes, we recommend contacting Laser Reproductions. Mention IdeaTango and get 10% off!

Once you have a prototype, the fun begins! With a prototype you can start showing it to retailers and potential licensees, bring it to trade shows, and conduct better market research with consumers.

Be prepared to redesign and refine your design after each prototype. When you have a near-complete design, then it’s time to file for your patent.

To Be Continued…

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