Can you get a patent on a halfway done invention?

Yes, but there are dangers.

You might be able to get a patent for the seal and you might be able to separately get a patent for the preventer.

However, if the two somehow work together, that is, if one (e.g., the preventor) wouldn't work without the other *(e.g., the seal), then the chances are better for getting a patent for the two combined. The more elements there are to an invention, the more likely it is the patent office will see that the combination is new and not obvious.

Now, if you file an application for just the seal, there is a chance that the application could become "prior art" against the later filed combination seal and preventer application. The examiner might say once you know about the seal, the seal/preventer combination is obvious and might reject the combo application..

No.

The only way to patent is a full patent. The Patent Office will not take any "almost there" because there are many people "almost there". However, all systems have loopholes and the loop is pretty much patent a product and claim it being complete if asked because you can always change it

The other thing you can do is by patent all the components and then, when the product is finished, patent that itself. The problem is that there are so many patents that you will come across infringement problems. =(

Btw, the reason why iPhone and many other software and hardware companies have patent on compnents because, for example, the iPhone is an assembled product so all the components in the phone must be patented so that no other company can mimic. Even then, the full product is a patent itself and protected by copyright laws.

You can always change your patent. Send in the paperwork on the "seal". The worse that can

happen is the patent is refused. It usually takes a while to get a patent approved, and the "seal"

will be protected from theft until the final decision.

I think you patent each part. Like the iPhone has over a few hundred patents. Not sure the exact Number but seen the iPhone Keynote back in 07.