3D Solutions, Inc.

3D Solutions - Your problems, our Solutions...

6724 Perimeter Loop Rd. Columbus, OH 43017 USA

3DSI is a proud US based small-business owner since 1998. We offer Product Development, Mechanical Design, Additive Manufacturing, and Urethane Casting to help our customers get their ideas off the ground. Our mission is to offer a complete turnkey service from concept development to the commercialization of your idea with Quality, Customer Service, and Quick Turnaround at the heart of our operation.

Our 3D Printing & Design Service is second to none. With over 20 years experience in Mechanical Design and 3D Printing, we can help you get your product to market faster than the competition. We can also help with Patent & Trademark Law, Proof-of-Concept, and Short-Run Production. We have Domestic and International partners that can step in and offer a wide range of manufacturing processes when it's time to scale. We look forward to working with you on your next big idea!

 IP Strategy

The challenge that every inventor faces. How do I protect my idea without breaking the bank? That is a tough question indeed, but is a common place problem for individuals with few resources, or folks that are self-funding a project. Not to mention it can take years to get through the IP examination process. Navigating these waters can be challenging at best, but we have a few tips below that can help.

First let’s shed some light on what is considered Intellectual Property. There are four main categories - Trademark, Patent, Copyright, and Trade Secrets. Below is a brief definition of each:

Trademark - Any word, slogan, symbol, design, or combination of each that identifies the source of your goods/services, and distinguishes them from others.

Patent - A right granted from the federal government to the patent owner that permits the owner to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a finite time period.

Copyright - The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same.

Trade Secrets - A secret device or technique used by a company in manufacturing its products.

The USPTO link below provides a brief explanation of each:

Now that we have distinguished the differences of each form of IP let’s turn our focus to patents. Consider the hypothetical scenario of an individual inventor that did invest the money in a Utility Patent. You are one of the lucky ones that actually received a patent two to three years after filing with the USPTO. You have properly “marked” your product and have been selling it online B2C in order to generate sales to pitch your concept to a larger entity or venture capital firm. There are a few companies that discovered your product online and are now selling their own version. What are you going to do?

The first relatively inexpensive approach is to send Cease and Desist letters to the infringing parties. Also, let’s say you reach out to the CEO of said corporations with no response. Now what? Litigation will be expensive, and likely far outweigh the profit you would’ve made on your product in a now diluted and confusing market with other players selling “your” idea. This is the all too familiar spot individual inventors find themselves in with a granted patent. The harsh reality is that if you do not have a contingency plan in place to comfortably litigate your idea, it’s best not to start out by filing patents. There are other less costly ways to protect your idea before meeting with an IP attorney and starting the process. Furthermore, if you do not take adequate means to protect and enforce your patent, you run the risk of losing your IP rights.

A good first step would be a well-drafted Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This is a legal binding agreement to not discuss or share information related to your idea. It can be one-sided, or mutual, and depends upon your situation as to which direction makes the most sense. The goal is to protect your disclosure as long as possible until you can determine whether or not the idea is valuable enough to purse a patent.

Another way to protect your idea from someone you hire to help with your idea is a Non-Compete Agreement (NCA). This is a legal binding agreement between you and an employee or contractor to not do business in your market space. Non-Compete Agreements are usually binding for one to two years after services are separated. Generally speaking courts typically will not enforce a NCA beyond two or three years.

A Work-for-Hire Agreement is a great way to protect your idea when hiring someone to help with the Product Development. This is a legal binding agreement that will insure you own the improvements that an employee or contractor make to your product along the way. They will still need to be listed as an inventor when you file the patent, but will protect you during the interim.

It is inevitable that you will need to file some form of patent protection whether that be a Design or Utility Patent if you want to preserve your selling rights or keep others out of your respective market. In fact, you will have one year from the earliest selling date to file for patent protection. However, you might choose to file well before the latest filing opportunity. The options above will buy some time to figure out an IP strategy that works best for your situation. Alternately, you could file a Provisional Patent, but the clock will start to file the Non-Provisional Patent one year from this point in time. You might be able to find a larger company that will agree to handle all patent and litigation matters. Every situation is unique and we are here to help. We look forward to helping you with your next big idea!!