In reply to Sl@te Head:
It won't be much help but I can tell you what NOT to do. I spent many hours of many days of many months, plus a slice of dosh, acquiring UK patents on two completely separate cam inventions. Then because I'm good at inventing and utterly hopeless at marketing or following up in any way I failed to secure US patents for either and failed to market either idea to anyone at all. The first became the Metolius Supercam, apparently independently invented but a couple of years after my UK patent. The second still awaits any take-up, although I'm convinced it could be extremely useful in a wide range of placements.
Somewhat dispirited by these experiences I've now been sitting for quite a while on a karabiner design idea that could revolutionise sport climbing krabs, but I haven't yet applied for any patent or approached any potential partners about it, because I'm crap at that kind of thing!
Any interested manufacturers please get in touch!
ps. of course it's always possible we have the same brilliant idea