Im hoping some of my wonderful Mingle buds can help me out here. My derby league has come up with a design (words and image) for stickers and Tshirts. Im pretty sure we need to get a patent on the design and then trademark the design onto products (stationary, clothing).

Ive done quite a bit of research, I realize its going to cost us. And we have more than one variation of the design. I just have some questions I need answers for before I bust out the credit card, and I dont really want to have to pay an attorney when I have so many free resources available =)

1. If we use the words with the image of a quad skate incorperated then the same words with a speed skate am I looking at 2 different patents? Do I have to register different trademarks?

2. Can I use a font I find online for a patent or does it have to be an original font I design?

Patents are easy and cheap, but If I need one for each variation....I have my work cut out for me.

no idea whatsoever

You should have a local listing in your phone book for patenting and they can answer any questions you have...Good Luck

dont know if this will help but its all I can do, good luck and I get 25%

http://www.uspto.gov/

there are excellent books available on the subject
at your local library and also government help online
start at the business reference desk of a good local
library. or borders or barnes and noble...etc.

it is NOT expensive or difficult and you can do it
yourself. read the latest books on the subject for
current legislation.

it is basically filing a form and a reasonable
processing fee for copyright and trademark.

patents are more complicated but still easy to do
yourself. THE book for that one is "Patent It Yourself"
by David Pressman. The patent office has staff in DC to
help inventors through the process. They will answer
your questions over the phone too. No lawyer needed.
But, read "Patent It Yourself" first - available at
your library!!

Yea Ive been all over that site for days. Its all written in very legal terms. Im pretty sure I know my answers, I just want to be sure I do it right. $325 for a trademarok app, if its not completed correctly, they reject it and you lose your $325.

OUCH!

that is the government for ya! but really, that is
the us patent and trademark office website. go read the
books first at the library - then find someone locally perhaps
at SCORE who will help you for FREE.

don't pay any of the firms who are set up to "help"
inventors. they are out to rip you off!!



have somebody review your application before you submit it
ask the office how you can be sure that your application
won't be rejected. if it is done carefully you likely won't be
rejected. unless it is a patent.

if you file for a patent, you WILL be rejected
the first time - almost all are...it is part of the process
then you have to respond to the objections and gradually
you may get a patent if you can convince them that what you
have really does meet all the criteria. they will however
help you with this process or you may have to consult an
attorney if you do not feel confident that you can
apply yourself.

rejection in this case does not mean you lose your money.
simply that you have to pay the fee until you either win
your argument that your patent application fulfills all
the requirements. if, in the end, it doesn't then you may
find your application denied and then, you could be out
the application fee.

Well the patent is the easy part, its only $3 per app. But once I release one version of this, im afraid someone will jump on the theory and go after the other images I couldnt afford to trademark. So I want to have all of my ducks in a row first.