Resources for Product Designers
General Links for Inventors
US Patent and Trademark Office – directory of resources, FAQs, and free advice.
European Patent Office (EPO) - provides a uniform application procedure for individual inventors and companies seeking patent protection in up to 37 European countries.
Worldwide patent and intellectual property information – includes a directory of patent offices outside the European Patent Organization (EPO).
Ask the Inventors™ – provides news and events, licensing referrals, periodicals and books, FAQs and more for first-time inventors.
The
Lemelson-MIT Inventor’s Handbook – addresses independent
inventors' and aspiring entrepreneurs' most frequently asked questions
regarding United States patents.
About.com's
inventor pages – includes courses, topics, articles, and
product ideas of interest to the inventor community.
NASA Tech Briefs Special Awards article – highlights the
winners of the 2006 Create the Future design contest. (Publication
date April 2007)
Inventing and Community
Big Idea Group (BIG) – connects creative inventors with innovation-seeking companies.
Cambrian House – an idea sharing and rating site.
InnoCentive.com
– An online community of scientists, inventors, and other smart,
creative people, who win cash awards for solving problems posted
by companies, not-for-profits, and government agencies.
Inventgeek.com – celebrating creativity and invention through reinvention.
Product Design Forums – access to shared knowledge, skills, and experiences in celebrating learning and accomplishment. Free registration is required to participate in the discussions.
Industrial Design
Core 77 – provides articles, studio bullitts, photo galleries, calendar & events, books and links, design schools, discussions.
I.D. Magazine – America’s leading critical magazine covering the art, business, and culture of design. Seven issues per year including the Annual Design Review – America’s oldest and most prestigious juried design-recognition program.
Consumer Products
QVC Product Search – always on the on the lookout for innovative consumer products and brands. If you have one you think is right for QVC then submit an idea online.
SolidWorks
Links
View more than 30 video demonstrations – these videos highlight design capabilities unique to SolidWorks 3D CAD software.
Download
white papers – these papers highlight the use of SolidWorks
3D CAD software in consumer product design, packaging machinery design,
medical products design, and more.
3D
ContentCentral – allows you to access the online catalogs
of leading part and component suppliers that let you view, configure,
and download CAD files.
SolidWorks
Design Contest – allows you to share innovative product designs
created with SolidWorks software and win valuable prizes.
CAD Junky – learn about 3D CAD through informative, entertaining short videos.
Fun Links
designboom’s history of useless inventions
Seven Deadly Sins of Inventors
Totally Absurd Inventions
Paper Pilot Challenge
