Scope manufacturing ideas and an NDA?

[Garvey]

There is a hole in the market for the hunting scope that is user friendly for zeroing and making precise holds. I've got a list of ideas. I have never sought out the process of an NDA (I'm sure a lawyer is involved). I also do not know where to begin petitioning optics manufacturers inquiring if they will listen to me.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I'm pretty sure there are a ton of sites on the line that offer NDA templates, so I doubt you'd have to get a lawyer involved. I'd recommend calling optics companies and tell them straight up that "I have some ideas for features and improvements, who would I talk to about that?". That will get the ball rolling and then follow up with an email and the NDA to see where it goes from there. Leupold has a option on their contact us page that is for ideas and improvements and there are representatives from Bushnell here so it may be worth it to touch base with them.

That being said be prepared for a long road that may go nowhere. Scope development can take a couple years or more from conceptual idea to manufactured product and it could be killed anywhere along the way depending on a number of factors. Good luck!

 

[b6graham]

Huskemaw that you?

All kidding aside

Do it yourself.. Go OEM one from LOW

 

[phlegm]

*quietly pulls up a chair*

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

O man...this thread has the potential to go either direction; helpful and trollful, lol....

NDA:......That would be pretty much worth what it is written on in regards to actually protecting it.
Here are a few reasons I say that.
1. NDA doesn't keep anyone from "competing" with your ideas..it just stops them from disclosing your ideas.
2. You would be HARD pressed to be able to provide that an actual optics manufacturer did not "know" of your ideas before you disclosed it to them.
3. You will be ever HARDER pressed to get an optics company to sign the appropriate contract of Non-Compete and even if you do so. See above line items.

Optics Manufacturing.....
There are only about a handful of full deal optics manufacturers; the other 200+ are all contracted OEM basis with a majority of them being from LOW. You can spec out an optic from LOW from price for grandpaws ol 270 crowd all the way to the S&B crowd....it is all about the details and quality control specifications you pay them for.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[sirhrmechanic]

One does not start this way....

Just 'sayin.

Also, to Theis point... an NDA will only keep them from sharing or disclosing information.

And if you have some kind of design or utility idea... there is no real patentable IP there. So unless you have actual patentable technology or intellectual property that will make a scope perform better or represent a new level of art in scope function, manufacture, etc., an NDA is not going to matter.

If all you want to do is say "Your scope should track this way... or knobs should be this way... or reticle should be clearer..." then that's not anything you can patent or protect anyway.

If you have something like a new way of securing an erector... a new optical design... a new coating... a new mounting methodology, then you have patentable intellectual property. Then you need to patent (Expensive and hard to defend). Or disclose/publish (which means you share the idea and so noone ELSE can patent it and then keep you from making it.) But in firearms world, it is VERY hard to A. Make money off a patent that will cost you $100K to file... and B. Defend it. Which if you fail to do, you basically throw your design into public domain. And don't forget to file foreign patents. And that the Chinese will ignore them. And the French. So unless you have something that will make zillions (scope improvements won't), your intellectual property may be cool... but it's not patent-worthy. So disclose it and block anyone else from filing a patent because you have prior art.

An NDA will keep them from saying "I have a deal pending with Garvey." Or "we are going to do due diligence on Garvey to buy his ideas and don't want anyone to know we are talking to him... " That is NDA territory. But you are talking about patent protection. And an NDA ain't going to do squat about that.

And I am not a patent attorney, but played one on TV.

Sirhr

 

[Garvey]

Thank you everyone.

Guess I'll just contact some scope manufacturers and hand over my list. Looks like there's no financial gain in it for me, only the manufacturers. We need the scope anyhow...

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Thank you everyone.

Guess I'll just contact some scope manufacturers and hand over my list. Looks like there's no financial gain in it for me, only the manufacturers. We need the scope anyhow...

Honestly, most of the manufacturers read stuff here… and a lot of folks may also have input on your wish list… or leads on who may have already done “what you are looking for.”

So why not start the discussion here… which is the equivalent of publishing on electronic medium?

Once you get the ball rolling, you will have eyeballs! And I guarantee good scope folks watch discussions here closely. This site is an R&D goldmine for any manufacturer who wants to tap into what people are looking for (doing, using, poo-poo-ing, asking for, trashing, etc.).

a ton of stuff has been developed and improved off of threads here. Because the shooters are here.

Anyway… run it by us!

Sirhr