Has anybudy ever gotten a patent on anything I guess , has much does that run

there are patents on most traps, however patent protection runsout after 15 years.

$10k

If the trap was made in differnt sizes but still the same design would you only need one patent

your going to have to look up the current patent and stipulations for the actual patent. If not sure, hire a patent lawyer. pay to play

I've invented a lot of stuff only to find out somebody else invented it previosly. One time it was more than 100 years.
I had a friend who tried to patent a device to release a police dog with a remote control. After much time and money he got the answer that it wasn't an invention but a good idea. That it had been previosly used to release a shark in a james bond movie. Fortunatly he hadn't quit his job yet but he had to cancel alot of dreams. Now he's investing in lottery tickets.
Things for you to think about Pesky but good luck you may just have the next widget.

Kirk Dekalb has, pm him.

I designed a setter for somebody elses trap, what are the rules on marketing something like that?

There was some good advice there Pesky. A guy over here invented a clear squirrel trap and thought he was going to make millions. Instead, he lost thousands and his wife. ( Okay, maybe the wife thing was a plus but he still lost thousands )

Pesky, I got a patent on the mole/gopher I designed, and as Jordan said, it runs about 10K. I think we actually did it for a couple thousand under that. You can file a patent application yourself for a lot less than that, but getting good patent protection on a product is more complicated than you might think, and I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself, as you would run the risk of not getting as solid a patent as would likely get from going through a patent attorney who really knows the ropes.

Trapper4hire, I'd have to look it up, but I am pretty sure patent protection last for more like 20 years. But yes, it does run out eventually. Trademark on the other hand last forever.

Fudd, I don't see any issue with marketing an setter or other accessory to someone else's patented trap. I don't think you need any permission to do that. go for it!

Well I've already lost the wife prase be , and I don't have 10k for a patent as I'm a slave to AT&T adds . This trap design is like nothing I've every seen , I set the prototype out today and the setup went as planed , did have some things need changing . I've never seen a cage trap that comes close in design but who knows what I haven't seen , is there away to research the patents on traps myself . Steve I've got say them mole traps rock . Only problem I keep running out and I just hate the other types now , I'm truly ruined on the other mole trap . I'll be sending you money for more soon and thanks for making such a great tool

Have been through this, and still going through it. Protection lasts 20 years. Yes, 7-10K frequently, but that is a base price for simple trap stuff. Complicated electronic stuff could go 100k, who knows. It's not over after that either. There are regular maintenance fees the government asks for periodically, like $1500 after a couple of years to continue. If you don't pony up, protection is gone. You have to think, how much am I gonna make on this? Spend 10k to set 11k in product? You can do it yourself, but the trick is the description, accurately describing what you have. You can have patent searches done, you can do them yourself, but there is no guarantee that all stones will go unturned, so when you think you may be there, after several back and forths with searches, lawyers and the government, all of a sudden the government produces a heretofore "unknown" 1927 patent that looks a lot like what you are doing. Not a hypothetical, has happened in the past. Worst is to find previous patents that had value, were never manufactured and no one knows about them, yours is like it in many ways, will work and has new implications, but you can't protect it because it has come and gone forever. Do you then spend more bucks to get a very narrow patent?

When you think patent, think what it is you can patent, it is very specific. Have seen lawyers load up on claims, I guess to make it look like they are doing something, stuff you know won't fly, only to get most all of it axed anyway as you would expect. You might think the lawyers are best suited to help you and I am sure there are some very good ones and they all know more than the lay person, but have found the U.S. patent people to be the most helpful, knowledgable, and they should be, it's their business and they do it every day all day. There are different ways to submit. A basic, "it's my idea" kind of thing for non-corporate is $110 for an individual to start, not a full patent ap. The full patent yourself is $550. But, you cannot lump a whole bunch of stuff into one, even though your invention is one thing, sometimes many parts. They will separate you patent and charge you $550 for each element. Be ready.

Guess I'm still in patent school, learning and will be forever. Really pretty easy. LOL

I do know lots of good lawyers personally , funny how many lawyers get squirrels . One good thing I do have a fab shop at my disposal , my Dad is one of the biggest manufactures of ice fishing stuff in the Midwest and he would love to get me back in the shop , having a dad that can biuld anything is a great asset . He's also a retired millwright . My mom can sell anything I swear . She even sells rocks . Got all her grand kids bring her rocks ,it's funny , can wait to go check that new trap today . Need to start working on the squirrel version tonight