Kansas City Business Journal: Inventors Navigate Long Patent Process for Reward of Protecting Their Product
Inventor Gene Owen has two words of advice for anyone hoping to patent an idea: “Be patient.”
It took three years, two rejections and endless hours poring over claims and descriptions before Owen’s company, Starco LLC, received a patent for its Clean Chute collection device in August.
Protecting the invention from competitors was worth the time and effort, said Owen, who retired as a labor and employment lawyer and established Starco in 2005. He now spends much of his time working in the warehouse from which his mess-free trash-collection device is distributed throughout the United States and Canada.
“The most fun part is meeting people and seeing enthusiastic faces saying: ‘That’s a good idea,’” he said.
Read more: Inventors navigate long patent process for reward of protecting their product | Kansas City Business Journal