While possible to file a patent yourself, there are risks involved. The patent process makes it possible for anyone to get a patent, but intellectual property attorneys are trained, registered patent experts with years of experience in patent research, patent application writing, working with patent examiners and appealing when the patent office rejects patent application claims, and protecting inventors from costly patent litigation.

It is unrealistic to think a do-it-yourself patent equals a cheap patent – if anything, trying to get a patent yourself could cost you a good deal of money when a competitor is able to sidestep loosely written patent claims and figure out another way to make the product that you are trying to get patent protection on. The patent process is also a time-consuming one, and missing a deadline or failing to submit patent application materials in a timely fashion could mean the rejection of your application.

To learn more about filing a patent yourself, visit the USPTO for resources for do-it-yourself patents.