Intellectual property is something of a minefield for the uninitiated. If you have invented a product and contacted a facility to manufacture it, at what stage do you apply for a patent? Someone without legal training will find protecting their intellectual property a very time-consuming process. Time that could be better spent coming up with new or improved inventions! We’ll take you through the basics in this blog and explain how we handle the legal side of things here at Coda.

Non-Disclosure Agreements

Everybody involved in the design and manufacture of your product will sign a confidentiality and mutual non-disclosure agreement. This is the first line of protection for your concept as it means that we would be legally culpable if we used your ideas. We wouldn’t (steal your idea) as a matter of principle. Signing an NDA is a gesture of good faith on our part. Beware going into business with people that don’t extend you the same courtesy.

Ways to Protect Your Intellectual Property

We can put you in touch with legal experts and patent attorneys who will make sure that your intellectual property rights are fully protected. There are three relevant levels of protection that you might want to consider for your design.

• Design Registration: The unique look of your plastic product and its packaging can be registered. Once this is done, you have some legal basis for suing companies that try to imitate the look of your product.
  
• Patent Registration: Taking out a patent is only necessary when you have a completely new idea. If you are modifying an idea that someone else has had, patent application is unnecessary.
  
• Trademark Protection: Your brand will need to be protected by a trademark. This will prevent unscrupulous companies attaching the name of your quality product to their inferior versions.
  

We don’t want you to be anxious about any part of this process. If you require it, we’ll put you in contact with experts who can take care of this legal business for you. Our own team of experts can answer any questions you have about design and manufacture of our plastic products. Email us at sales@coda-plastics.co.uk or call us on +44 1692 501020.

Follow us on Twitter for regular news from the plastics industry.