InventionHome (aka Jacob Enterprises) InventionHome's art department omitted important specifications from my invention, leaving me with a provisional patent that couldn't hold water Monroeville Pennsylvania

I was contacted by a customer service rep from InventionHome.com.   They told me they would redo the artwork for my invention and relist it on their marketing website.  When I told them I had alrady spent another $2500 to have an industrial designer do the figures for the utility patent and that I didn't want them "marketing" my concept, they offered to do another provisional filing and an artwork portfolio for another invention if I had another idea to submit.  I haven't heard back from them, but maybe they're waiting for me to contact them with that new idea.  

I would have had them redo the artwork for my invention to relist on their marketing site, but the thought of sending all the drawings and pics to them and trying to explain the specs again wouldn't get me anywhere, since it was apparent that they didn't understand the concept and wouldn't market it and all the functionality behind it.  

In their defense, InventionHome probably doesn't get many ideas like this.  My concept is a modular design system that is built to have practical applications as well as being a 3d modeling kit.  Unlike most inventions, my concept has many avenues of functionality.  It could be used as a modeling kit for RC vehicles or toy-houses.  The same set could be used as the skeletal support for robotics or drones.  It's also designed to act as a rail system for logistical movement of small goods or a security system.  In more simpler uses, it could be used for decorations, education, or simply holding objects in place (fabrics, tools, papers, etc.).  And since it's so adaptable, with a minor modification to one of the elements, it could be used to produce electricity or used as a mag lev track (some of the modifications were cut by inventionhome while I cut some of the others to simplify the process for them as they seemed to have a lot of difficulty understanding me and my drawings.   In short, most inventions have one or two functions and are easier for most people to grasp.  But as they ignored all the specs of the system and the various functionality behind it, I felt as if they were purposely ignoring me in order to leave me with an overly simplifed version of the concept while one of their associates walked away with the one with the depth.  More likely however is that perhaps they just felt my concept was a dead-end and that it didn't warrant much attention to detail, since they didn't feel it would be picked up by one of their partners for licensing.  

Another reason I didn't want them "marketing" the concept is that they would also have a claim to it if one of their retail partners discovered it, despite their lack of effort.  And since the artwork did such a poor job at portraying the concept, any retailer interested in the concept would have to discover it through another source. Imagine giving 20% of your concept to a company that put almost nothing into it.   

And for anybody thinking about using their services, your provisional patent is only good for one year.  Before that time is up, you will have to hire an industrial designer to do the actual drawings to submit as part of a utility patent, as well as hiring a patent attorney or agent.  You could use the drawings their art-department creates, but if they're like mine, they won't be any good for use in a utility.  Whether or not they find a buyer for your idea, you'll still have to spend quite a bit more to file the utiilty.  If you are confident in your idea, you might be better off starting with a real patent attorney and an industrial designer that does figures that will be accepted by the USPTO unless you have money to burn.   

Most inventions are commercial failures, and any inventor should go into the process with that in mind.  However, there are things you or your partners can do (or not do in my case) that can increase the success of your invention.  No matter where you go, you're taking a risk.  Companies like these probably have a success rate of 1%, give or take a percent, so be aware of that.   If you fall into that 1% or less, it's probably not a bad investment though...then again, if you're one of the 1%, you probably had a great idea that would sell without the need of a company like this, and you just traded 20% ownership to middlemen.  

InventionHome has reached out to the customer in an effort to discuss the issues contained in this posting; however, we have not yet received a response in return.  We are committed to providing exceptional customer service and were not aware of any issues until receipt of this posting.