Delving into design

[rero360]

Years ago I built a 12.5” AR pistol and mounted a DBAL on it. I never got used to the laser being on top of that short little handguard so I designed a mount that sticks the laser in front of the handguard and closer to the barrel. I had a buddy 3D print it, tweaked the design and had him reprint it.

Since then I’ve contemplated how to manufacture it and bring it to market. The other day I decided that my best course of action at this point in time is to find a company to make and sell them for me, with me either receiving a percentage of sales or a lump sum for the rights to the design. So far I’ve reached out to 19 companies, and have received 4 responses, two saying they don’t accept unsolicited offers/designs, one saying they are absolutely swamped with no end in sight, and one saying it has been forwarded to their R&D department.

I thought I’d make this thread to document my process with this endeavor for others to benefit from lessons learned.

I’ve looked into patenting my design but I can’t afford the fees and I make too much to receive pro-bono assistance.

[Diamondback]

Safe bet that the one forwarding o R&D is already patenting and cutting you out. Have you tried FCD or Arisaka?

[rero360]

Safe bet that the one forwarding o R&D is already patenting and cutting you out. Have you tried FCD or Arisaka?

I did email Arisaka, never heard of FCD before, I’ll reach out to them as well. In my emails to all the companies I have just given a brief description of the part, no pictures, drawings, or models.

[Diamondback]

I did email Arisaka, never heard of FCD before, I’ll reach out to them as well. In my emails to all the companies I have just given a brief description of the part, no pictures, drawings, or models.

Forward Controls Design, Duffy here (Roger Wang, IIRC) runs the shop. Might try PM here first to make contact.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Patent law is crazy, but if you sent that with out a secrecy agreement, you’ve lost some rights to it. Either to patent it or challenge them if they patent it.

I just got into a dust-up with our patent lawyers. Even make a lawyer paid by the word to shut up? I did.

[Wildcat]

Now that the US has switched to "First to File", the original inventor may have a harder time winning that battle.