Client Spotlight: Cloudburst Fireshield

Local News Story – KBJR6‘s Dan Wolfe traveled way up north to witness an invention meant to keep wildfires away from a family cabin

“I’ve enjoyed working with Kaufhold & Dix. I chose them because they asked the right questions and had the right answers. The fees and associated services were clear. I am thankful for their guidance and professionalism with my patent application.”

– Doug Yates, Cloudburst Fireshield

Company Overview

Cloudburst Fireshield is a Duluth, Minnesota-based company specializing in effective and affordable fire prevention systems to protect property from wildfires.

Business Need

Inventor and owner Douglas Yates needed intellectual property protection for an innovative flagpole system he invented. The invention was developed from a conceptual model for a sustainable sprinkler defense system to protect property from fires that can threaten properties located in heavily wooded areas.

Mr. Yates originally engineered the solution to protect his family cabin from wildfires. Considering today’s changing climate and increased wildfire risk, the unique invention had the potential to save other homeowners from financial and emotional trauma.

Mr. Yates and Cloudburst Fireshield sought a firm that specialized in helping inventors secure intellectual property protection via a patent.

Why Did Cloudburst Fireshield Choose Kaufhold & Dix Patent Law?

Cloudburst Fireshield found Kaufhold & Dix Patent Law after some extensive online research and found the content shared on their blog extremely helpful to inventors. The company set up a free consultation with an attorney to discuss their business need and intellectual property protection challenges.

After the consultation, Cloudburst Fireshield selected Kaufhold & Dix to represent their firm during the process to secure a patent for their flagpole fire prevention system. Mr. Yates said that he chose Kaufhold & Dix because the attorneys demonstrated they understood the pain points, challenges, and goals faced by small business owners and inventors. Mr. Yates also felt comfortable that the recommended services were clearly defined and the associated fees were transparent.

Solution Detail

Kaufhold & Dix conducted a worldwide patent prior art search to determine whether or not the Cloudburst Fireshield fire suppression system could be considered a new invention. A patent attorney reviewed the results of the patent search and drafted a legal opinion letter for the client suggesting the sprinkler defense system was potentially patentable.

Once Mr. Yates and Cloudburst Fireshield decided to proceed with a patent application, Kaufhold & Dix had drawings prepared by a professional patent illustrator for inclusion in an application written by a patent attorney. Upon filing the application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the invention achieved patent pending status and Cloudburst Fireshield was free to market the fire prevention system without fear of another taking the idea.