1. What is your lead time?

2. What metal and wood options are available?

3. What background color choices are available in your frames?

4. How are the frames assembled?

5. I need to order both patent and trademark awards. Do you have any products that match?

6. Is that paper or metal in your frames?

7. May I get a certificate from the USPTO?

8. May I get more than one patent on a plaque?

9. May I have more than one name on a plaque?

10. What do you mean by assignee?

11. How can I be sure I ordered the right patent?

12. What is the wording on the bottom of the plaque?

13. What is your most popular plaque?

14. What drawing will be on my plaque?

15. I can't remember what product I ordered last time - how can I make sure my plaques will match?

16.  What can I expect as my award ages over the years?

17. How do I submit a design mark for my trademark plaque/frame?

18. I received a mailing from you that my patent has granted but I have not received word from my attorney yet. How did you know that it is granted?

1. What is your lead time?

We guarantee to ship orders within 10 business days or less. If you provide an accurate email address, you will receive an email notification with tracking information when your orders ships via UPS. Transit times vary unless premium service (overnight or 2-day air) is selected. Return to top

2. What metal and wood options are available?

The metal and wood options available on our products vary. We offer choices that we believe are most pleasing for each product. Satin Brass and Satin Aluminum are our standard metal choices. Solid walnut and solid oak are our standard wood choices. Solid red cherry and solid maple are premium wood choices available on some products for an additional $10. Our web site provides the choices available in the drop down menus on the specific product pages. Many products also have additional information available regarding product features and choices. If additional information is available, it will be noted on each specific product page. Click here to view a sample.  Return to top

3. What background color choices are available in your frames?

If we use colored backgrounds in your frame, color choices include Black, Red, Burgundy, Royal Blue and Hunter Green. Click Here to view a sample.  Return to top

4. How are the frames assembled?

We use TruVue® glass in our frames. All frames are also finished with a full dust cover, a coated hanging system, wall hangers and a level for mounting. These details and extras allow you to quickly and conveniently hang your display with pride knowing its beauty will remain for years to come. Return to top

5. I need to order both patent and trademark awards.  Do you have any products that match?

We have 4 award designs which are intended as matching sets for trademarks and patents. They are as follows:

- The Modern Cover plaque and frame (F44 and P44 series).

- Historical Cover plaque and frame (F43 and P43 series)

- Contemporary plaque (P08 series)

The Craig Ponzio Stradivarius frames. Return to top

6. Is that paper or metal in your frames? The paper vs. aluminum controversy.

We have been told by numerous customers that our aluminum plates look like paper in the images we use in our brochures and online. Because aluminum is such a light colored metal, we understand why people may be misled. We try to make clear what choices are available on each product we sell. We actually have very few products that use paper. Currently, the only products that we offer that use paper are our paper certificate products (see the P02, F01 and our Craig Ponzio Series. All other framed products use metal. Return to top

7. May I get a certificate from the USPTO?

The United States Patent and Trademark Office issues one official copy of your patent to the assignee listed on the patent. However you can obtain a "certified copy" of your patent. The process to obtain a certified copy can be time-consuming and tedious but it is a service they offer. You may visit the USPTO at http://www.uspto.gov for more information about their services. Return to top

8. May I get more than one patent on a plaque?

We currently do not offer any products online that display more than one patent on a plaque. Custom perpetual products may be offered to qualified corporate clients if our current offering does not provide the solution you need. Contact Us for more information. Return to top

9. May I get more than one name on a plaque?

9. Yes. When prompted to enter "Inventor Name(s) As You Want It To Appear On Your Product", you can enter as many names as you wish. We do verify that each name entered is in fact listed on the patent. Return to top

10. What is an Assignee?

An assignee is the person or entity to whom rights under a patent are legally transferred to. US Patents are granted to inviduals, however most are owned by companies. Innovative employees enter into legal contracts with their employers that requires the transfer of patent ownership from the individual to the employer. Many inventors are proud not only of the work they have done but also proud of the company they did it for. In this case, the inventor will choose to not only display his name on the plaque, but also the name of the company he assigned the patent too. If you choose "Yes" when promted "Would you like the Patent Assignee (Company Name) on your product", the company named as assignee on the patent will appear on the plaque exactly at the patent was published. Return to top

11. How can I be sure I ordered the right Patent?

You may use the search function at the top left of the page to view the front page of any patent number at the United States Patent and Trademark Website. You will also be receiving a detailed email confirmation which will provide the patent number you entered along with the grant date and patent title for that patent number. We do verify that the name listed on the plaque order is on the patent and will email any questions or concerns we have. Our unconditional lifetime guarantee does mean that you can return any order afor a replacement or refund at any time. Return to top

12. What is the wording on the bottom of the plaque?

The wording that appears on many of US patent plaque and frame designs is called the "commissioner's text." It is the text that appears on the cover of your official patent document. This text has changed over the years and we have chosen to use current text on our products. The text is different for utility patents and design patents. Here is what the verbiage actually says:

Utility Patents:

" The Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office has received an application for a patent for a new and useful invention.  The requirements of law have been complied with, and it has been determined that a patent on the invention shall be granted under the law. Therefore, this United States Patent grants to the person(s) having  title to this  patent the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States of America or importing the invention into the United States of America for the term of this patent, subject to the payment of maintenance fees as provided by law. "

Design Patents:

"The Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office has received an application for a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. The requirements of law have been complied with, and it has been determined that a patent on the design shall be granted under the law. Therefore, this United  States  Patent grants to the person(s) having title to this patent the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the design throughout the United States of America or importing the design into the United States of America for the term of this patent." Return to top

13. What is your most popular plaque?

We always encourage our clients to choose the product they believe they will most enjoy displaying. Currently, our most popular selections are The Modern Cover - P44 and the Patent Front Page-P14 plaques.  Our most popular framed awards are The Framed Double Mount - FDM14C and The Framed Modern Cover - F44.  Return to top

14. What drawing will be on my plaque or frame?

We use the drawing that appears on the front page of your patent. Use our Patent Search tool to view your patent front page via the USPTO website. If there is no drawing available on the front page of your patent, we substitute other information from your patent. Read more and view examples of products with no patent drawings.

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15. I can't remember what product I ordered last time - how can I make sure my plaques will match?

When processing your online order, we automatically look at your order history to make sure what you ordered matches previous orders. We will contact you if we notice any discrepancies. However, if you want to be sure the product you ordered is exactly the same as previous orders, put a note in the comments field while you are ordering. Someone will get back with you quickly to verify your order. Return to top

16. What can I expect as my award ages over the years?

Your award is designed to last and you can expect it to age gracefully. However, some customers wish to understand exactly what to expect as their award ages over time.

Metal  All of our metal plates are protected with a clear high temperature coating, giving lifetime protection. No matter what metal you choose, your metal plates should not tarnish over time.

Wood  Our wood plaques are made of solid American hardwoods, and are hand finished with fine quality furniture finishes for beauty and protection. They are sealed front and back to prevent moisture penetration. To provide superior craftsmanship, our frames are made by Larson-Juhl who has a history of frame-making for over 100 years. Wood is a naturally occurring product that may fade slightly over the years.

Glass  Our framed awards are protected by defect-free, American-made UV blocking glass by Tru Vue®. By filtering out 98% of damaging ultraviolet rays, our glass protects your award from fading and breakdown caused by UV exposure.

Printing  Our plaques are produced with a patented process invented by our founder, and are not to be confused with the low-quality imprinting methods associated with the plaque-making techniques of yesteryear. The metal plates on our plaques are protected with a coating designed to protect the printing. You should not experience problems with the print rubbing or scratching off your plaque over time under normal display conditions.

Parchment  Parchment is a paper product and is subject to the normal yellowing associated with paper aging. Paper is also subject to physical breakdown by ultraviolet rays over time, which is what causes aged paper to become more brittle. Some people feel that this aged look enhances a certificate. However, by ordering a parchment product in our frames you are able to offer greater protection for your award over time, as our frames use UV protection glass which offers protection against paper breakdown. Return to top

18. How do I submit a design mark for my trademark plaque/frame?

You can add your design mark in color to any trademark product at no additional charge. Please click here for instruction on submitting your design mark.

18. I received a mailing from you that my patent has granted and you were the first to notify me. How did you know that it is granted?

Patents are granted every Tuesday by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and grant information is offered free to the public. We check grant information every Tuesday and notify inventors by mail. If you have any questions about your grant, please contact your corporate IP department or your patent attorney.