Trail cam strong box

[Antlershed]

You mean so somebody else doesn't steal your idea and make a bunch of money? I believe you have to file for a patent, but I have no idea on the process or what it takes.

[Grizzly95]

Any liars....I mean lawyers on the site?

[bow4elk]

I've been in product development for over 16 years, and I've written Patents for clients.  BUT - I'm NOT a laywer to be clear.

A patent search will reveal what IP (intellectual property) has been protected and by whom.  But keep in mind, there are Design Patents (that cover the way something looks (more or less) and Utility Patents, which cover utility - the way something works (in very general terms).

Patents are pretty easy to get around based on the claims.  A crafty patent lawyer can look for loop holes in previous patents that outwardly seem to cover your idea.  Also keep in mind that it costs A LOT of money to protect Patents once you obtain one, which can cost around $10K.

Just ask Steve Sims about the $ he's had to spend to protect his Patents for his Limbsaver products...it's staggering.  And when you consider that some companies don't care about infringement, it's YOU who has to file a lawsuit against them.  They won't stop production until ordered to, and by then, they may have already made enough cash to pay you off and still line their pockets.

A better approach is to keep you ideas air tight and try to license them or even sell them outright.  I've worked with clients going that route as well, and it can be tricky as many companies won't entertain ideas "off the street".  You have to go through a broker, who will cost you $$ as well.

Now you know why I've never taken the plunge on launching my own line of hunting products!!  It's a HUGE investment of time, money, and will test your sanity.

[Grizzly95]

Some will say my sanity was gone long ago. So if I just try to sell them myself in time I would be run out by a big name eventually?

[bow4elk]

You can stay low-key and sell them on-line or by word of mouth easy enough.  If they are really something special, it's likely somebody will have a friend, who's cousin's neighbor's step sister works at ___________________, and the rest will be history.  If the company has any ethical bones, they may try to contact you and offer a "buy out" of the idea.  But the odds of that are about the same as me drawing a moose tag.  In that case, you want a lawyer to negotiate those terms for you.

[bow4elk]

But don't let me scare you from following your gut.  I'll gladly help you as much as I can and you have my word on confidentiality with your "IP".  I don't play games 

[Grizzly95]

Would the idea of packing a cordless drill in with you to set you trail cam be too much? I don't think you could ever make it completley theft proof, but if they had to destroy the whole it just to get it at least its of no use to them.

[ICEMAN]

If I wanted your cam, I would just bring my Stihl, and worry about the metal work in my garage later.

[stumprat]

If I wanted your cam, I would just bring my Stihl, and worry about the metal work in my garage later.

 

[Grizzly95]

Well I guess that is the truth. So whats the majority vote, should I try to design an better design?

[Antlershed]

If I wanted your cam, I would just bring my Stihl, and worry about the metal work in my garage later.

ICE has a point though...if somebody wants it bad enough, they are going to get it no matter what.

[bow4elk]

I choose 12-14" diameter trees for that reason...or they will damage my cams to remove them.  I have them cable locked and padlocked, plus I camo them pretty well.  Here's one very close to home in a safe spot.  Otherwise the tree would be much larger.

[BLKBEARKLR]

http://www.camlockbox.com/

This is what I have been using for a couple of years now, I bring cordless drill in with me, 4 - 6 inch lags go into tree then use a cobra lock around the box and then box is also padlocked.

Joe

[Ridgeratt]

here's a Link to a patent attorney

http://wellsstjohn.com/index.asp

[Grizzly95]

Well after seeing the actual size and shape of the cams today I will be doing a little more finish work and size adjustment on the cam vault.