From consumer products to industrial machinery, mechanical inventions are still the backbone of patent practice — and still the category where sloppy claim drafting most often lets a competitor design around your patent. Craige Thompson, a licensed Professional Engineer, drafts mechanical claims broad enough to actually stop copycats, not just describe your prototype.
A mechanical patent protects how a physical device or system is structured and functions — its moving parts, mechanisms, and the way it's assembled to do something useful. We regularly handle:
The most common mistake we see in mechanical patents drafted elsewhere: claims written to match the exact prototype, so a competitor can change one dimension or material and design around it entirely. We draft claims around the underlying mechanical principle, not just the specific embodiment you showed us.
Craige Thompson holds a Professional Engineer (PE) license in addition to his USPTO registration (Reg. No. 47,990). He can evaluate the actual mechanical function of your invention directly — tolerances, materials, failure modes — rather than relying on a simplified explanation. That engineering depth is what produces claims that hold up when a competitor tries to design around them.
Tell us about your invention in a Complimentary Patent Needs Assessment. We'll tell you honestly whether it's patentable, what it would take to protect it, and what it would cost.
Get a Complimentary Patent Needs AssessmentYes — patentability depends on novelty and non-obviousness, not complexity. Many valuable mechanical patents cover a single well-designed mechanism or structural change. A prior art search during your Complimentary Patent Needs Assessment will tell you where your specific improvement stands.
A mechanical (utility) patent protects how something works or functions. A design patent protects how something looks — its ornamental appearance. Many products benefit from both: a utility patent on the mechanism and a design patent on the shape.
No. You need to be able to describe the mechanism in enough detail — typically with drawings — that someone skilled in the field could build and understand it. A prototype can help but isn't legally required.
As broad as the prior art allows. Well-drafted claims describe the underlying mechanical principle rather than one specific embodiment, so a competitor can't avoid infringement by changing a dimension or swapping a material for an equivalent one.
Mechanical patents are often less complex to prepare than software or medical device patents, but cost still depends on the invention's complexity and claim scope. We provide a clear, upfront quote after reviewing your invention during a Complimentary Patent Needs Assessment.
