Why You Need An International Patent
Posted on: 28 September 2019
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When you invent something, you want to protect your invention. You also want to market it as far as you can take it. The trouble is, if you do not file for patents in every country where you want to sell your new invention, you are probably going to find yourself in the midst of an international patent litigation case. Here is why you need a patent in as many countries as you can afford to get patents.
Fakes and Copycats
Your patent here in the United States has limitations. Inventors are often surprised to learn that when they patent something, the patent does not extend to other countries. Then, when they try to market their inventions to another country, they are shocked when a slough of fakes and copycats has already hit the markets. Profits take a huge dive as consumers reach for the fakes and copycats on store shelves. Patent your item wherever you plan to market it and sell it to avoid having someone in another country rip you off.
It Is Your Invention and You Should Be Paid Every Dime
It is your invention and you should be paid every dime on every sale. A major corporation in Poland, for example, might pick up one of your items and decide to manufacture it in their country by the thousands. ALL of the money that company makes selling reproductions of something that was your idea is theirs to keep because you did not patent your item in their country. It can get pretty frustrating sometimes, staying ahead of the patent game, but it is worth it to make sure that you make all the profits on the item you invented.
Copycats Can Sue YOU
It is no laughing matter. A copycat that mass produces your invention in a country where you did not patent it can claim that you stole the idea from them. They can turn around and attempt to sue you, naming you as the copycat who manufactured "their" product in the United States. Then it really becomes quite an international patent nightmare of legal proportions. You could lose everything you worked so hard to achieve, including any angel investors and financial backers, and you would have to repay all of that money if you lose your case. Make sure you have an international patent lawyer working for you before you get under way in production, and definitely secure international patents in as many countries as you possibly can.