There are several free patent sources online for inventors to find information regarding patents. While there’s no such thing as a free patent, there are resources that can cut costs considerably. A patent, issued by the USPTO, has a set of fees associated with it. There is absolutely nothing a person can do to get the USPTO to waive the fees.
So, what are you looking for? Free patent search, free patent forms or a way to get your idea into the marketplace that’s a lot less expensive than going the normal patent route? I can help with that. Keep reading…
Free Patent Search
The USPTO offers a totally free patent search that’s very extensive. It’s also confusing. In fact, it’s so confusing, some people will literally shy away from it and give up on getting their invention ideas to market. However, for people who are serious about their ideas, there is help. NOLO Press has a very good book out that will help you in searching the USPTO Database. It’s called Patent Searching Made Easy. See, it’s one thing to learn how to navigate the free patent search feature. It’s a totally different thing to understand what to look for. Inventors that recognize the research involved in their patent search are head and shoulders above inventors who just take a stab at the patent search.
Google also has a free patent search that’s available online. Although I’ve never really used it seriously, I have tried it out and it looks pretty easy to navigate. The free patent search with Google is set up just like their regular book search engine. The data comes directly from the USPTO and includes patents issued in 1790 all the way to the present. What isn’t included in Google’s Patent search are international patents. Again, once you get searching the database down, you’re only half way there. Knowing what to search and how deep you need to dig down the rabbit hole is much different. For this reason, I suggest hiring someone to do your searches for you or, at the very least, reading Patent Searching Made Easy.
Free Patent Forms
Inventors soon realize there are several forms they need, from start to finish, depending on the results they’re ultimately hoping for with their invention ideas.
FreePatentForms.com, a website of Neustel Law Offices, LTD, carries a confidentiality agreement, a patent license agreement, a patent assignment agreement and a provisional patent application template, which are all free for you to use.
The USPTO has a decent number of free patent forms that can be efiled online as well.
Even if you’re not in the Bay Area, BayAreaIP carries free patent forms you can use. Choose from: Inventor’s Guide to Patents, Non-disclosure Confidentiality Agreement, Patent Assignment Agreement, and Patent Licensing Agreement
Almost Free Patent or Invention Idea Success Strategy
As I said above, there’s no such thing as a free patent. However, Stephen Key has written a book called One Simple Idea that can get your invention ideas into the marketplace for next to nothing.
Do You Have One Simple Idea? Literally…
Thanks to brilliant and very generous writer, inventor, and entrepreneur Stephen Key, his book One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work, will show you how easy it is to go from idea to cashing-in with very, very little money. You can stop searching for free patents. You won’t need to worry about it if you do things Key’s way. I wish this book had been written eons ago because many of the twists Key teaches in his book are the same things I did with my ideas. My way was a lot more complex and I know his way is much more lucrative and tons easier. The book is about $14. Small price to pay for being able to start making money from your ideas. Personally, I think the book should cost a lot more money. This is pretty much the closest you’re going to get to a free patent so grab it while you can.
Skeptical? You should be. However, once you listen to some of the testimonials from Stephen’s reader’s, that will pass. Just take a look here where Andrew Darlow got his idea into the canvas framing industry and has been earning royalties ever since. Here’s more success stories as well.
