Register inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes in Vietnam?

1. Why should you register the inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes?

It is always important to pay adequate attention to the protection of inventions, especially for Inventions of combustion apparatus and combustion processes. They have played important roles in many areas of industry as well as contributed a lot in the general development of humans. There are many ways to protect an invention but one of the most effective ways that any inventor should do in the first place is to register the invention with competent state agencies. Registering the invention is a common practice nowadays and it will bring huge benefits for the owner of the invention as below:

- Firstly, a registered invention will be the legal basis for your ownership of the invention. If any party counterfeits your invention to compete with you in an unfair manner, you will have the right to ask the competent State agencies to step in and handle the violation.

- Secondly, registering the invention will give you competitive advantages and market power, thus, earning more profits. You will have exclusive right to manufacture, trade, use, or distribute particular products based on the invention and no entity can have access to these rights without your consent. The registered invention will reduce competition in the market, strengthen the position of your company in the market, thus, being the basis for charging higher prices for your products.

- Thirdly, you can have new sources of income from licensing or even selling your invention for other parties who have needs. Without a protection title granted by authorities, the owner of an invention would not be able to exploit the commercial value of the invention.

- Fourthly, in terms of fundraising, a patent can be a huge advantage for the owner and it can attract more potential investors as well as business partners. They will see the protection title as proof of legal compliance, innovation of the owner. Moreover, the invention can also be accepted as collaterals by some banks for bank loans.

- Fifthly, you can take advantage of your patent in marketing, advertising and branding plans, thus selling more products and increasing profit.

2. What are inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes?

Provisions of intellectual property law in Vietnam stipulate inventions are technical solutions that are presented in the forms of particular products or processes with the purpose of solving specific issues by applying natural rules. There are two types of patent for an invention: invention patent and utility solution patent.

A technical solution is recognized as an invention only when it satisfies the prerequisites as follow:

- The technical solution is novel;

- The technical solution is creative, and;

- The technical solution is capable of industrial application.

Inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes are sorted out into Class F23 when applying for a patent according to the International Patent Classification (IPC) system. This Class mainly includes the following products or processes:

- Methods or apparatus for combustion using only solid fuel;

- Methods or apparatus for combustion using fluid fuel or solid fuel suspended in air;

- Burners;

- Cremation furnaces; consuming waste or low grade fuels by combustion;

- Grates; Cleaning or raking grates;

- Removal or treatment of combustion products or combustion residues; flues;

- Feeding fuel to combustion apparatus;

- Supplying air or non-combustible liquids or gases to combustion apparatus in general;

- Valves or dampers specially adapted for controlling air supply or draught in combustion apparatus;

- Inducing draught in combustions apparatus;

- Tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts; terminals for flues;

- Casings, linings, walls or doors specially adapted for combustion chambers, e.g. firebridges; devices for deflecting air, flames or combustion products in combustion chambers; safety arrangements specially adapted for combustion apparatus; details of combustion chambers;

- Regulating or controlling combustion;

- Ignition; Extinguishing devices;

- Generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity, e.g. gas-turbine combustion chambers;

3. How to register inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes in Vietnam?

First of all, if you want to register your invention in Vietnam in accordance with provisions of law, you need to prepare a dossier of patent registration with the following documents:

- Patent registration forms as prescribed in provisions of law (02 copies);

- The patent description (02 copies), the descriptions shall include the invention description section and the invention protection scope;

- Power of attorney in case you apply through a representative;

- Receipt of payment of state fees and charges (in case paying via postal service or directly to the competent state agency's account in advance);

- Some other related documents for some particular cases.

4. The process of registration for inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes in Vietnam?

After preparing a proper application, you will start the patent registration procedures with the steps as below:

Step 1: Submit the application. You can submit your application directly to the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) in Ha Noi or one of its representative offices in Da Nang city and Ho Chi Minh city. the application can also be submitted indirectly via the postal services.

Step 2: NOIP appraises the form of the application. Your patent application will be appraised in terms of formal requirements according to provisions of law. The processing time normally is about 01 month.

Step 3: NOIP publishes the application. If the application is determined as valid after step 1, its information will be published in Industrial Property Official Gazette by the NOIP after 18 months since the submission date.

Step 4: NOIP appraises the content of the application. The content of your application will be appraised by the NOIP. The processing time is usually about 18 months from the publishing date.

Step 5: NOIP issue a patent. The NOIP will issue a patent after finishing all examinations and the applicant has paid all state fees promptly and properly.

5. Where to register inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes in Vietnam?

According to the current provisions of Vietnamese intellectual property law, foreign companies, organizations or individuals can only apply their inventions for patents in Vietnam through official industrial property representative organizations. Minh Khue Law Firm is an industrial property representative that was licensed to operate in Vietnam since August 2017, with the representative code is 226. Many clients in Vietnam as well as abroad have registered their inventions successfully through Minh Khue Law Firm.

The Intellectual Property Department of Minh Khue Law Firm will carry out all the procedures for the client. Our office based in Room 2007, 20th Floor, C2 Building, Vincom Tran Duy Hung, Tran Duy Hung Street, Trung Hoa Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi city.

The person in charge of the Intellectual Property Department of Minh Khue Law Firm:

Lawyer: To Thi Phuong Dzung

Email: dung@luatminhkhue.vn;

Phone number: + 84986 386 648

The completed register dossier will be submitted at: National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam.

Address: 384-386 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan Trung, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi

6. Contact to register inventions in the area of combustion apparatus and combustion processes in Vietnam?

Please contact: Minh Khue Law Company Limited

Address: Room 2007, C2 building, Vincom Tran Duy Hung, Trung Hoa ward, Cau Giay district, Ha Noi city.

Phone number: + 84986 386 648 - Lawyer: To Thi Phuong Dzung

Email: dung@luatminhkhue.vn

Best Regards,

Intellectual Property Department - Minh Khue Law Company Limite