Any *bunghole* Patent Attorneys On This Board?

I got a question.

Hemorrhoidal.   

Fire away.

   They can't *fudge* with me.  "I'm bigger than U.S. Steel!"



Sorry, something came up last night.


OK.

My mustang has a soft boot covering the retracted top.(as all of them do I suppose )  I want to go to a fiberglass manufacturing joint and have them fabricate a rigid boot.  Same size, shape, etc. Painted to match.  But in 2 pieces, right and left, so it can easily fit in the trunk.

I think this will look really sharp, and function well.  I think it is also something a lot of other collector car owners would be interested in.  So my multi faceted question is, on something like this, is it worth the effort and expense to obtain a patent on the concept/design?  Is it to generic to bother? (I don't plan any super secret facets of the design to elevate it above one someone else could make).

I guess the reason I ask, and or the other question is once I have it for my car, I would like to sell the idea to Lund.  I have no interest in getting into the rigid convertible boot business myself.

If I have one made should I try to patent it before I pitch it to them(or anyone else)?  Should I try to patent it before I even go to a shop to have the first one made? 

I'm rambling, but I think you get the idea.

TIA
Mike

 

Agreed.

Hmm...I first read that as "butt covering" and thought you're asking the wrong patent attorney.

I don't think you'd want to approach a company about "buying an idea" from you without having a patent on the invention first.

I've seen rigid boots before (Corvette?).  Are you aware of any that were/are made in two halves?  Detachable and stowable, as opposed to hingeably affixed to the vehicle?  Even if this item has never existed for the Mustang, rigid split-boot covers for any automobile would be pretty close in concept, just not in specific shape.  And it's the concept that you're chasing and that the patent examiner is looking to shoot down.

I'd encourage you to file on it before you post it on the Internet.  A provisional patent application can be written up pretty easily -- they can be frighteningly informal, so you could do it yourself -- and filed for a fee of about $130.

2 days out of the year.  It is worth it, although I feel a little weird doing it in ass-less chaps.  I feel like people are laughing at me.  Again, though, it's only 2 days.