TJOnline

Thanks, Ace. My own issue at the moment is just perfecting drawings. I work in Blender with Blend files, but I think one could work in Blender with STLs too. Do you work with any modeling tools to produce drawings? I did find a way to exclude lines (my primary aim) from drawings. Including them is relatively easy. Excluding them more difficult. I plan to exclude any with the solution below. Can't both include and exclude in Blender as I understand it. So, I'll do the including with Blender's Grease Pencil Line Art tool. Following is the easiest possible process to exclude, as far as I can tell: https://blenderartists.org/t/quickest-way-to-add-and-remove-edges-to-a-freestyle-render/1517467

As opposed to no protection at all, Bugatti. Stitchdup, I've heard of that. Or one could have the application notarized, so at least you could prove in court that you were the first to invent, even if you aren't first to file. Said poor man can file a provisional utility patent for only $60 (if you qualify for micro entity status) and renew it yearly if necessary while you begin your quest, which allows you to add 'patent pending' to advertising of your invention and you can keep the application itself hidden. But of course, the model itself is rather easy to reverse engineer. A non-provisional patent can be had for as little as $200. Non-disclosure agreements between you and someone you want to interest in manufacturing or licensing your patent are common. Note that I'm not a lawyer and this is not qualified legal advice. https://www.uspto.gov/patents/basics/apply/utility-patent

Thanks, Bill. I may well take your advice and buy the book. So far, I've just looked over sample patent apps and drawings as a guide. Although you've already gone above and beyond, would you be willing to take a quick look at one or two of my drawings and maybe a paragraph or two from my application text? I'd have to ask that you not disclose anything, but I wouldn't show it all for obvious reasons. Perfectly fine if you'd rather not. Thanks much. BTW, if you like to collect wisdoms, I recently found some from my hero, Einstein, that I never expected to see. Those are quality anecdotes. I like your own. Particularly Robert the Bruce's. That's the same Robert in Braveheart, I assume. https://youtu.be/VxE-1j17BMQ If you're interested in getting back into the patent application business or you still do that on the side, and you can work in Blender to make drawings of parts for customers, I'm learning how to customize how Blender renders its drawings for more perfect results. Looking for ways to pay you back barter style, if I can tap a bit of your expertise.

Hi everyone. As a boy, I was an avid model builder, everything from cars to spaceships, so I feel at home here. I've just finished designing a 1/25 scale mechanical model, about 25 or so parts for which I have STL (part) files. Not a car, per se, but within that realm. I want to protect intellectual property rights for it. I will mold and cast parts for it to make an initial working demo or two or ten. Ultimately, I may seek to license the design to a manufacturer to make and sell it, either a model kit or an assembled toy or both. I'm interested in how manufacturers of such models protect their intellectual property for their designs. Utility patent? Design patent? And I'm greedy for advice and experience to lead me on. I'd really like to find some example of the intellectual property protection of, for example, a typical model car. Thanks much!