I'm fairly close to the point now where I believe I'm just going to call them up and try to arrange a meeting where they can hear my pitch. Over the weekend I did a review on my production notes and costs and familiarized myself with all of the materials. At this point, I may be foregoing the NDA since after the review, I found out that I had at least two companies sign it and the 1 to 3 year no-compete clause has long since expired and I don't see anyone producing it. The two NDA's previously signed were for the packaging materials and assembly and for the manufacturing of the item. I've really got nothing to lose except my idea and as I've implied before, what good is an idea if no one is using it? Someone earlier commented about disclosing the idea without a NDA may make the idea un-patentable. As I recall when I had consulted earlier with my patent attorney, that doesn't apply except in the sense of public domain. Just because an idea isn't secret does not necessarily make it public domain. Typically, unless you have documented proof that you came up with an idea first, the first one to apply for and obtain a patent is the legal patent holder. A few people having knowledge of your idea does not make it public domain. Though, the danger is in the amount of people knowing of your idea, that one can potentially patent the idea before you do. Public domain is really in the broader sense -- i.e. posting a message on the Internet where many people can read it, common knowledge - like how to mix water and sugar together or change a tire, these are mentioned because people have been doing these things for more than 3-5 years (??) and so they are in the public domain since they weren't originally patented. Once its in the public domain for a specific time period (3-5 years, I think???) then you can't patent it.
