The Invention Corner

Here’s a little background.  At the age of 19, my son was in a serious car
accident.  He had a head injury.  He could not do anything for
himself. 

He had an unusual way of communicating.  Because he could not outright
say what he wanted, it took some different skills to determine his
wishes.

Saying yes or no was something huge.  I tried many inventions for him to
use.  I don’t even remember some of them.  I am proudest of the one
that I will show you.

The sketch is rough but you should get the idea.  The whole premise was
that if he turned his head to the right the recorder would say YES.
If he turned his head left,  the recorder would say NO.

Yes NO Invention

The basic components were:

1. The base plate was attached to the head rest post.

2. The pivot arm turned right and left on the center post.

3. Two micro switches were hooked up to the two tape
   recorders.

4. A sweat band with Velcro on each side.

5. Two material straps to connect the headband to the pivot arm.

There were posts and shims and other parts to make this thing work.  The
invention worked just the way it was suppose too.  My son did not
like the headband so the invention went into the pile with the other
inventions.

This was not a high tech invention, but one made for a specific purpose,
and it worked.

Is there a market for this invention?  Probably not a big one.  Medical
supply houses might want one on hand.  I could not see filing for a
patent.  I don’t think there would be enough demand for the cash
outlay.  It could be a sale able product on a limited basis.

If there are any ideas you could use, have at it.

My employer screwed me out of that $5000.  I was working for an aircraft
plant in Ft. Worth, TX at the time.  I was a tool designer.  There
was a suggestion system where you got a percentage of the savings
your idea made for the company.

The suggestion was about two rings.  The rings were parts of assemblies
that had to fit together.  The employees were having to use a block
of wood and a sledge hammer to put one ring inside the other.  They
were that tight.  On average they were making one out of five parts
as scrap.

At the time, that was 40 years ago, my father-in-law and brother-in-law
also worked there.  My father-in-law was in Research and Development.
my brother-in-law was a machinist.  We had kind of a neat thing
going.  My father-in-law would come up with an idea, I would draw it
up and my brother-in-law would make it.

My idea for the suggestion was to use a process known as cryogenics.
The inner ring would be frozen using liquid nitrogen.  The amount of
shrinkage would be just enough to let the frozen ring slip inside the
other without having to hammer it in.  I talked to several people
about the idea and they all agreed that it should work.

I submitted the suggestion through proper channels.  While waiting for
an answer, I got word that I had been accepted for Air Traffic
Controller training.  The company rejected my suggestion.  They said
it wouldn’t work.  The one thing I don’t remember was if I had given
notice before or after I got the rejection.

The suggestion was worth a lot because the parts that were scraped were
expensive because of all the work that had been done to them.  My
father-in-law told me that the suggestion should be worth the top
award of $5000.

I left the company and went into training.  About six months later my
father-in-law said the company put my suggestion into practice. 

About 40 years back is when I remember my first invention.  I probably had
made stuff before, but I remember this one.  I have always found ways
to make something I need if I could not find it.

I was not crazy about mowing the yard.  That was my job.  The lawn
mower was hard to start.  My dad invented his own starting mechanism.
My dad took the recoil starter off of the mower.  He bolted an
electric motor to a board.  The electric motor had a pulley on it.
The last part was a V belt.  If I couldn’t start the mower, I
couldn’t mow the yard.  He fixed that.

I had no excuse not to mow the yard.  I would plug in the electric
motor.  I would put the belt around the lawnmower shaft, then around
the electric motor pulley.  I would pull the belt tight and the
lawnmower motor would turn and start.  Off I would go mowing.

I would not say that I was lazy, just resourceful.  The mower was self
propelled.  I made circles in the yard.  I drove a broom stick in the
ground.  I put a piece of 4 inch cast iron pipe over the stick.  I
tied a rope to the mower and to the pipe.  I engaged the self
propelled and the mower went round and round cutting the grass.  I
sat on the porch watching and sipping a coke.

Not very high tech, but it worked.

There is some profit potential here.  The first thing would be to
build all the elements and test, test, test.   You must feel
comfortable with all the parts of the invention.  The amount of time
and energy you put into this project will reflect the profit
potential.

I found an inventors candy store when I started looking.  At the time I
live north of Minneapolis.  The store I found was a surplus store
with everything from surplus electronics, motors of all sizes, nuts
and bolts, wheels, tubing and just about anything you could imagine.
The items changed from time to time.  It was fairly cheap and they
would haggle if you bought enough. 

I went to a local carpet store.  It was not a big outfit.  I talked to
the owner and he set me up with some samples of thick foam backed
carpet.  Because I would not need large pieces of carpet, he could
sell me left over pieces very cheap.

Keep your eyes open for some great deals.  One day I was in a local large
home improvement store.  They had a whole roll of foam backed carpet
for about $3 a yard.  This was all they had and could not get more so
they were selling it cheap.

Marketing is the next step after you are satisfied with your product.

1. One way would be to advertise in RV publications.

2. Take a sample to RV dealers and show them your stuff. You could make a
   deal where you would make and install your product in new RV’s for
   customers that wanted it.

3. You could set up a website and sell online.

4. Send a brochure to RV owners.

Even though RV’s could be your primary market, there are more places to use the
invention.  Truckers with sleepers have dishes etc. in their rigs.
Boats with kitchens could be another sales avenue.  Trains have
moving kitchens.  These should be a start of your brainstorming of
all the possibilities.

This invention could make a descent amount of money.  It will not take a
large capital investment to get started.  You don’t need a patent,
but you do need to check to make sure something like this is not
already out there that might be patented.  With an inventive mind, this product and others
could be the backbone of a company.

As an added note:  I did not pursue this myself because I got hired on
and went into Air Traffic Controller training.  That took all the
time I had and then some.

I would like to hear from anyone that might take on this project.

The refrigerator invention is a welcome addition to a problem.  When a
family leaves on a trip in their RV, the refrigerator is full.  Items
stay put pretty well.  As the items are used and discarded, lots of
roaming space is made.

With this invention, refrigerator items can be kept tucked in and kept
from moving and spilling or breaking while the vehicle is in motion.
When the vehicle is stopped for a while, the invention can be removed
for easy access to the contents.

The refrigerator shelves are normally made of coated metal slats.  The
opening between the slats is usually between ¼ to ½ inches wide.
The area between the slats is where the invention gets anchored.

Refrigerator posts at work

The picture shows the invention installed and doing it’s job.  The items
on the shelf are kept tight against the back of the refrigerator.
The posts can be removed easily when the RV is standing still.

The post consists of a hollow tube with a rod going down the center.  On
the bottom of the rod is attached a flat plate.  The metal or plastic
plate must be narrow enough to slip between the shelf slats.  The
plate must be long enough to straddle at least two shelf slats.  On
the other end of the rod is a washer, a spring and a knob.

To install the invention, the spring is pushed down with the knob.  The
rod pushes the plate away from the post.  The plate is let down
between the shelf slats and then turned 90 degrees.  The post is then
pushed up against the object it is to hold.  The spring is released
and the plate is held tight on the bottom of the shelf slats.

The post is completely self contained.  When the post is removed  it can
be stowed away in a drawer until it is needed again.

Even if you don’t have an RV, this invention might stir up new ways to use
it.  In the last part I talked about the way to hold dished in an RV
from moving around and breaking.  I will talk a little more about the
cabinet plate holder but then in the next post I will show you a
refrigerator invention.

Neat and Orderly

You will notice in the picture, cups hanging from above.  I came up with
a way to suspend the cups from a rod that went from one end of the
cabinet to the other.  I was not totally happy with the performance
so that part is up to you.  The glasses are inverted on posts with
water pipe insulation foam around them.  The cups have to be able to
swing free without hitting each other and also be easy to remove for
use.

There is one more part to the dishes invention.  The dishes have to have
something separating them while moving.  The constant motion of the
dishes would quickly grind away the surfaces.  The remedy is to use a
fairly thin non slip mesh.  This mesh is available in rolls where
shelf paper is found.

The non slip mesh needs to be cut.  By putting the plate or bowl up side
down on the mesh, you can draw a circle around the outside.  Cut as
many pieces of the mesh as you need for the amount of dishes plus a
couple.  If you can find different colors of the mesh, use a
different color for different size cutouts.

Now you have a complete picture of the elements of a RV cabinet set up
for safety and convenience.   The pieces are:

1. The carpet with thick foam backing.

2. The post that screws into the carpet.

3. The mesh to separate the dishes.

4. A way to hold the cups and glasses.

The individual pieces of the invention can be custom cut, fit and colored
for individual likes.  The carpet comes in a variety of colors, so
finding a complimentary one should not be a problem.  The posts can
be cut to whatever length is needed.  Four plates or four bowls would
take different lengths.  The posts can be stained or painted.  The
mesh and cup holders can also be coordinated.

 Read Parts 1 & 2 First

Now you have seen the two basic parts to the invention. The post that holds the dishes, and the carpet that holds the post.

The post is made up of three parts. I will talk in basic terms so that you can customize it to your specifications. I used a 3/4” dowel for the stick part. I found the 1 ½ “ round wooden discs at a hardware store. The screw is ¼ “ self tapping.

I made a jig for drilling holes in the post and the disc. I clamped the jigs into my drill press. I was able to make quick work out of the 20 or so posts I made for my camper.

The carpet was no big deal. I went to my local carpet dealer and went through his remnants. I found a tan tweed with heavy foam back. Remnants are very cheap and much easier to handle than a roll of carpet.

I measured the inside of the cabinets where I was going to install the carpet. Marking and cutting the back of the carpet was very easy. The only thing I was careful about was the edge the showed out of the front of the cabinet. I didn’t want a frayed edge showing. Test and make sure the carpet fits in the cabinet.

I made sure the cabinet was very clean inside. I first used a dust broom to get any larger items out. I then vacuumed the cabinet to get any small pieces. I then used a damp rag and went through the cabinet again. I knew now the cabinet was clean.

I shook out the piece of carpet that I was going to install. Laying the carpet foam side up I measured and cut three strips of carpet tape about ¼ “ shorter then the carpet. I put the tape down on the carpet back, one on each side and one strip in the middle.

The installation of all the pieces was pretty straight forward. The carpet went in easy. You do have to make sure to get the tape to adhere. I then set dishes in the cabinet in the arrangement I felt would be best. I then took the posts and screwed three of them around any dishes that were not against a cupboard wall. Dishes that were only required one or two posts.

I did do some testing before I made my camper parts. I made a cabinet with a Plexiglas front. I mounted a video camera taking video of the dishes in the cabinet. I took videos of the cabinet at various speeds and breaking pressures. The proof was there. The dishes without protection were in shambles. Some were broken but nothing stayed where it was placed. The posts told a different story. No matter how hard I braked, everything stayed put. I did this test with place settings for 6.

If you feel this is worth pursuing, then do your own testing.

There you have my invention. Good, bad or indifferent I am proud to have come up with the idea. I want to give it to anyone that wants it. There are no strings, but I would like to know if someone is working on it.

P. S. There are more places that I though this could be used for. A train or even a trucker with a sleeper might benefit from this.

P.S.S There is one invention that I am marketing myself, You can see it @ http://www.mailboxdooralert.com 

READ PART 1 FIRST

Now that you have seen the funny looking stick with a wooden ring around the bottom and a screw in the end, how does it work? The second part of this invention is available almost everywhere. You probably have some laying around right now, if you live in a home.

This other part you need is foam backed carpet. You want the thickest foam you can get. ¼ inch foam will not be enough. You want at least 3/8 foam backing.

I would suggest tans or golds if you decide to market this product. When installed in a cabinet you want it to blend in with the surroundings.

I would put in a picture of foam backed carpet, but that would be silly. If you don’t know what foam backed carpet is then go to a carpet retailer, they will show you.

If you notice the screw end of the stick in the other picture, let your mind put the two pieces together. The stick is the male part of this equation, and the carpet is the other.

Hopefully you can imagine in your mind the carpet on the base of the cabinet. All you have to do is screw the stick into the carpet in predetermined places so they hold the dishes from moving.

In the third part of this series I will put it all together.

Do you have a camper, like a motor home, trailer or bus?  If you do, you
know that keeping china dishes in the cupboard from breaking is a
chore.  Even if you don’t have a camper you could still make this
product.

Why don’t you just use paper plates and cups?  How about unbreakable
plates and plastic cups?  These options are great if you have a
couple of rug rats that break things!

That $40,000 trailer or that $200,00 motor home just looses some of it’s
charm when you are served on paper or plastic plates.  Baby boomers
are one of the largest segment of purchasers of luxury campers.  No
paper plates in those rigs.

My invention is very simple.  You only sell two parts.  In very basic
terms a male and a female.  This post will discuss the male piece.

I will show you what I came up with, so you have a starting point.  You
may very well find other materials or even a different design.  The
idea here is to get your mind working and inventing.

Not exactly sure how this has anything to do with dishes.  In the next
blog things will start to come together.  I can tell you that this
little gadget works like a charm. 

Your invention: What's it for?

My Latest Invention And The Story Behind It

What is it and what’s it for?

It’s an arm support and it holds my arm up! You are probably asking, why I need an arm support. I am not disabled! It has a specific purpose and I will tell you about it next.

I like to play the slot machines. I find it a challenge to try to hit a jackpot. About a year ago I was invited to a slot tournament in Las Vegas. I had been in a couple of slot tournaments at my local casino. For those that aren’t familiar with a slot tournament, You basically hit a button on the machine about as fast as you can for a period of time. At my local casino that time was 3 minutes. In Las Vegas that time is 10 minutes twice a day for two days.

By the time I had finished the forth ten minute round, I though my arm was going to fall off. I though about what made my arm so tired. I came up with the answer: I have to hold my arm up without support and that’s why my arm gets so tired.

Now here comes the solving of a problem. I thought of how I could support my arm and came up with several ways. The first couple ways did not work the way I wanted. I had taken them to my local casino and tried them out. So back to problem solving. I had to have something simple, adjustable and unobtrusive.

The device sits on my leg and supports my arm. The middle is adjustable with holes at different points. Once I had an idea of what I wanted it took my about an hour to build it.

My next slot tournament in Vegas is about six weeks. I am going to my local casino this weekend to try out the invention. I will let you know how it works out.

Does this invention have commercial possibilities?  Probably not, at least not the use I give it. There may be someone that could use this similar device. The amount of someones is very small. Do you see any other uses for this device that would make it more salable?

If you see a way to use it in something you are making, it’s yours.

If someone needs specifics about what it’s built from, Let me know.

Jak