Inventors Digest | Vol 29 - Issue 11 & 12 (Full) by Tiffany Talato

November/December 2013 Volume 29 Issue 11 & 12 $3.95

PATENT TROLLS

EXPOSING THEM TO DAYLIGHT

PROTOTYPING

SPOTLIGHT ON RAPID PROTOYPIING

FIRST LEGO

MINTY MATRIX

Q&A

INTERVIEW WITH SIGNALFAN

WOMAN INVENTS

TWO FRIENDS START A FASHION TREND

LANDER ZONE

TIPS ON LICENSING NEGOTIATIONS

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IN THIS ISSUE

MARKETING TIP OF THE MONTH BY JOHN RAU

ON THE COVER 18

UNDER THE RADAR Lastest trends in innovation

RAINBOW LOOM A family pools their resources and finds a pot of gold. BY MARK CANTEY

24 26

SPOTLIGHT Solving Sedentary

INVENTORS CORNER Exploring a launching pad for new housewares.

TRENDS Patent Trolls - Exposing them to daylight. BY JESSICA VANN

PROTOTYPING Shining a spotlight on a truly rapid prototype. BY JEREMY LOSAW

31 34

FIRST LEGO Minty Matrix - A team of Girl Scouts tackles stovetop safety.

Q&A Signalfan - Persistence points to an NFL sideline. BY EDIE TOLCHIN

WOMAN INVENTS Q&A - Two friends start a fashion trend. BY DHANA COHEN

LANDER ZONE Licensing Negotiations BY JACK LANDER

CLASSIFIEDS

EDITOR’S NOTE

EDITOR’S NOTE A Special Note

In recent months, we have incurred delivery issues with our magazine. The thought of reprinting old issues and delivering out of date material was not an option to remedy the problem. We have combined the November and December issue to publish material that would not be out-of-date when delivered. We will give everyone a FREE extra month at the end of your subscription to make up for the delay of delivery of the magazine that has occurred in recent months. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. It’s an expense that we are committed to making. We felt it was necessary to keep our readers informed with timely material and not reprinting old issues as an easy fix. Thank you for your understanding and we appreciate all your loyal support to our great magazine and long tradition. Rainbow Loom

Everyone’s looking for the next hula hoop or slinky toy to hit the big payday and I think we have identified the next one in the Rainbow Loom. I found inventor Cheong-Choon Ng and his new invention Rainbow Loom captivating. With the key component of his toy patented, you would believe he would not be as vulnerable as others without a patent. He quickly discovered that the next great toy would be a huge target for the vultures, copycats and thieves. The enthralling part of his story is the choices he had and has in front of him. Choon could sell his idea/patent to one of the giants in the toy industry or try to go it on his own. I’m a big fan he wanted to venture out on his own, but it invites all the trouble with having that “great idea” brings. At what point do you spend more time chasing people ripping off your idea, rather than selling and promoting your product? Many of you may never have heard of Rainbow Loom, but ask any parent of a young child and you’ll quickly get an earful. Coming Months

We could write about Intellectual Property and money matters in every issue and it wouldn’t be enough. Watch for these to become a regular column in the magazine for 2014 and beyond. I’ve been searching industry experts and know you’ll be pleased with our results.

MARK R. CANTEY VP & ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

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November/December 2013

JACK LANDER, our regular columnist on all things prototyping, licensing and inventing, explores the gap between inventor and entrepreneur. Jack, a near-legend in the inventing community, is no stranger to the written word. His latest book is Marketing Your Invention – A Complete Guide to Licensing, Producing and Selling Your Invention. You can reach him at Jack@Inventor-mentor.com

DHANA COHEN, founder of TheNextBigZing.com knows a thing or two about great innovation, her website searches out and finds these great products and awards only the best “retail ready” products and is sharing a new partnership with Melinda Knight from womentorz.com, called Women Inventorz Network. A new platform to support, inspire and build the brands of women inventors. The network is the only program of its kind to award women inventors each month and the culmination of an Academy Award style Gala in Chicago February 2014!! EDIE TOLCHIN, known as “The Sourcing Lady” (SM), “invented” EGT Global Trading in 1997, with a goal to link U.S. inventors with Asian manufacturers, to provide an exclusive import service for sourcing, quality control, production testing and safety issues, manufacturing, international financing, air/ocean shipping, customs clearance arrangements, and dock-to-door delivery. Website: www.egtglobaltrading.com

BERNADETTE MARSHALL, president of NB Graphics & Associates, Inc. specializing in the preparation of design and utility patent drawings and trademark illustration nationally and internationally over the past 23 years. Ms. Marshall can be reached at (770) 640-1500, or found online. Website: www.nbgraphics.com

JOHN RAU, president/CEO of Ultra-Research Inc., an Anaheim, CA-based market research firm, has over 25 years of experience conducting market research for ideas, inventions and other forms of intellectual property. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Inventors Forum, based in Orange County, CA, which is one of the largest inventor organizations in the nation. He has been a contributor to Inventors Digest magazine since 1998. Mr. Rau can be reached at (714) 281-0150, or emailedultraresch@cs.com.

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MANAGING EDITOR MARK R. CANTEY

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© 2013 Inventors Digest, LLC. All rights reserved. Inventors Digest, LLC is a North Carolina limited liability company and is the publisher of Inventors Digest magazine. INVENTORS DIGEST and INVENTORS’ DIGEST are trademarks of Inventors Digest, LLC. Reproduction or distribution of any materials obtained in this publication without written permission is expressly prohibited. The views, claims and opinions expressed in article and advertisements herein are not necessarily those of Inventors Digest, LLC, its employees, agents or directors. This publication and any references to products or services are provided “as is” without any expressed or implied warranty or term of any kind. While effort is made to ensure accuracy in the content of the information presented herein, Inventors Digest, LLC is not responsible for any errors, misprints or misinformation. Any legal information contained herein is not to be construed as legal advice and is provided for entertainment or educational purposes only. Interested parties and inventors seeking legal advice should consult a lawyer.

MARKETING MARKETING

Market Research tip of the Month by John Rau

hen you have an initial idea for an invention, it is far from immediately obvious that it will have any chance of commercial success. That is why you need to do your homework and conduct research to see if there really is a viable market for your idea and, if so, where does it fit in the marketplace. Once you have completed this assessment, Ask The Inventors (see http://www.asktheinventors.com) suggests the following criteria relative to which you should measure your idea: The chances of obtaining a good, strong patent are excellent. There is a huge market for it. Millions and millions of people will want to buy this product. The benefit of your product is obvious, thus minimizing advertising costs to educate the public about it. It will be inexpensive to produce. Ideally, the company to whom you license or sell your product would already have in place everything they need to produce your product. The spread between manufacturing cost and the selling price is large. The generally used rule-of-thumb is that your product must be able to sell for at least 4-5 times the cost of manufacturing it. The item gets “used up”. Your market will increase dramatically if your product is something that has to be purchased again and again. Potential manufacturers already have distribution channels in place thus enabling sales personnel to insert your new product into existing allocated shelf space in stores. The above cited criteria are what I refer to the as the “slam dunk” criteria in the sense that, if you meet all of them, then you’ve got a “winner”. I seriously doubt if many inventions ever meet many if not all of these criteria, but that still doesn’t imply that your idea can’t be a winner. Sometimes you’ve just got to “Wow them!” Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines “wow” as “an exclamation of surprise, wonder, pleasure, or the like” such as “Wow! Look at that!” That’s what I mean by “Wow them”. So, therefore, how does an inventor go about ascertaining if his (or her) invention has the “wow factor”? The first step in this process should focus on evaluating your invention idea. A good questionnaire checklist in this regard, provided by Invention Idea (see http://www.inventionidea.org), is as follows: 1. Are there other products out there on the market that are similar to your invention? If so, how does your invention set itself apart compared to these competing products? 2. Does your invention have built in obsolescence? That is, will it be able to “survive” in the marketplace long enough for you to get a reasonable return on your investment? 3. How many possible benefits can you identify by using your invention? 4. Does your invention save the customer time when used properly? 5. Does your invention improve the lives of your potential

customers? 6. Is your invention easy to understand and use? Having a product that does not require complicated instructions can help set you apart from your competition. 7. Will your potential customers accept your product once introduced into the marketplace? 8. Are you even sure that your invention is going to work? This is why building a prototype or performing some other reduction-topractice type of effort is important. 9. Is the size of your invention potentially important? Is being bigger or smaller than other products out there an asset or a detriment? Similarly, is weight a potential issue? 10. Is your invention of potentially higher quality than other competing products? 11. Is your invention safe to use? Is there a way for your product to become the niche leader in terms of safety? 12. Is your invention environmentally friendly? Not only is this a great selling point, but there is also a significant opportunity for environmentally friendly niche products in the marketplace. How can your invention idea take advantage of this? Think of using the above questionnaire checklist as the means by which you can identify your “product discriminators” thus enabling you to develop the “wow factor” for your product idea. Another way to get some insight into what constitutes the “wow factor” is to review the criteria used to get products for Direct Response Television (DR-TV), where “wow” is important. The Inventors Club of Kansas City (see http://inventorsclubkc.org) lists on one of their blogs the following important criteria for DR-TV: 1. Unique selling advantage Does your product do something different than anything else out in the marketplace? Will a consumer look at it and have a “wow” or “ah ha” moment? You want to make consumers say “Wow, what a great idea!” 2. Product/solution/benefit orientation How well does your product solve a problem and provide a solution/benefit? The bigger or more common the problem solved, the better! 3. Mass appeal How well does your product appeal to a mass audience and not necessarily to niche groups or a narrowly defined market? 4. Product pricing How attractive is your product’s price? Lower priced products are more of an impulse item whereas well-priced products leave the consumer feeling that they just got a great deal. 5. Demonstrable How demonstrable is your product? The better the visual demonstration of the product the greater the chance for success. 6. Believability What is the believability of your product/solution? The consumer must see the product as credible. 7. Easily explained Is your product easily explained? A consumer must be able to understand what the product does in a relatively short amount of time. Having a product with a high “wow factor” will definitely increase your chances of successful commercialization, but you will need to be able to explain the “wow” of your invention.

ultraresch@cs.com | (714) 281-0150 November/December 2013

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RADAR

UNDER THE RADAR 1

Kickspike Gives Shoes An New Edge Kickspike is a retractible metal spike mechanism in a shoe or a boot. With the simple press of a button a wearer has traction on demand! The mechanism is as light as an iphone so it does not add any weight to the shoe or boot. There is no bending down necessary which makes it perfect for the elderly or people with mobility issues. It is extremely durable and can sustain 1800lbs which makes it perfect for work boots!

Plate Cooker Heats Foods Individually Designed for busy, on-the-go people, the Plate Cooker allows the user to heat different foods simultaneously, at different temperatures and times. The Plate Cooker is divided into different sections that can be individually controlled to heat foods for a specific time and at a specific temperature. Once the sections have been programmed, they then heat the food to the desired temperature, and according to the specs, “…automatically re-set a different heating temperature to finish working at the same time.”

Solar Powered Sunglasses

The Shama Shades sunglasses do more than protect your eyes from UV rays—they also harness power from the sun to top off mobile gadgets. The sunglasses are made from a pair of classic Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses that have been fitted with photovoltaic cells on the plastic ear pieces. The cells collect solar rays to charge a battery embedded in the frame, and the ear pieces can be removed to reveal a microUSB or Lightening connector that can be used to charge an iPhone.

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RADAR

Virus Improves Battery Efficiency By genetically modifying a virus, researchers have discovered a way to improve the durability of lithium-air batteries—a discovery that could help make electric cars more attractive to consumers. Lithium-air batteries are able to increase power without increasing weight, but are limited by their lack of durability and short lifespan. To address these problems, researchers at MIT bio-engineered the M13 virus and used it to increase the surface area of the battery’s nanowire array. Increasing the surface area of the wires also increased the area of electrochemical activity, allowing the wires to pull more oxygen from the air and enhance the battery’s efficiency.

Multi-Modal Vehicle Concept Swims, Flies, and Hops The Multi-Modal Vehicle Concept drone can fly, swim and hop through various terrains by shedding and transforming parts of itself as needed. The transforming drone would travel by land, sea and air either under the control of a remote operator or semiautonomously. As it adjusts itself to the conditions, the wings could become fins for underwater travel, for example, and then swapped for wheels for on-land travel. According to Sandia, the Multi-Modal Vehicle would eliminate that complexity because the drone is modular and works off a single interface. One drawback of the drone however, it that since it sheds bits of itself as it travels, recovery is very difficult, if not impossible.

Eyes-On Glasses Let Doctors See Through the Skin

Placing IVs in veins can be a difficult and painful process, but the Eyes-On Glasses System may soon make the procedure less stressful for both staff and patients. The Eyes-On System features a head-mounted display that uses vascular imaging technology to let doctors and nurses “see” the veins beneath the surface of the skin. While technology to image veins has been in use for some time, previous iterations required the staff to carry around a separate, stand-alone device. In contrast, the Eyes-On system is self-contained and easier to use, and the head-worn display allows staff to keep their hands free.

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RADAR

Continued from page 12

Lumifold Boasts a Foldable 3D Printer This portable, hand-held, foldable 3D printer is going to hit the market even before full-size 3D printers have become household items. According to their IndieGoGo campaign, the inventors were asked by a client to develop a portable 3D printer to use for making dental molds. They set out to make a machine for him – and when it was done, they realized what an awesome thing they had invented. The Lumifold has a build envelope of just 90 mm X 90 mm X 90 mm and uses UV sensitive material to print out tiny objects. Optional accessories let you turn the machine into a 3D scanner or control it with your iDevice.

Touchscreen Protector Uses Your Finger as a Phone Charger Designer Chin-Po Tsai came up with a thin film that goes over a touchscreen to generate energy for the device. Simply by moving your finger around after installing the Energy Touch you are charging your cell phone. The film has a wire conductor that connects to your phone’s USB port, using a micro nanometer layer to generate power. If it’s ever produced, it would come in a variety of sizes to fit most of your touchscreen devices.

inTouch Transfers Data By Touch The inTouch system lets users transfer images and data between devices with just a touch. The system features a small piece of jewelry, such as a ring or bracelet (or a “smart fingernail”) that has been embedded with a chip equipped with a small amount of memory and an antenna. Power for the inTouch device would come from a special antenna built into the receiving device (similar to how RFID chips operate). The ring would store the link to the data, with the bulk of the information being stored in the cloud. When the user is ready to transfer the data to another device, they would need to simply touch the screen displaying the website or file, select “upload,” and then touch the receiving device and select “download.”

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RADAR

5 Dollar 3D Printed Prosthesis Makes New Limbs Affordable Prosthetic limbs are prohibitively expensive for anyone, but when it comes to young kids they are especially difficult to afford. Alabama engineering firm Zero Point Frontiers is shattering the typical prostheses business model by creating 3D printed prosthetic limbs for a tiny fraction of the cost. The hand from Zero Point Frontiers costs just $5. A new one can be made in a single day, as opposed to the weeks or months it can take to produce and calibrate a new conventional prosthetic device. Made of only plastic, screws, and bungee cords, the device is simple enough to fix. Zero Point Frontiers plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign that can take their wonderful design from concept to reality.

3D Printed Batteries

A method of creating batteries with a 3D printer could open the door to a whole new generation of devices, as well as more efficient manufacturing of existing products. The mixture is spun for 24 hours then placed inside a custom syringe that is inserted into a high-pressure dispenser which has been added to a conventional 3D printer. The ink is solid but flows when subjected to highpressure, and reverts to solid state after exiting the syringe. The tiny batteries can function as well as commercial batteries because the process allows the batteries to be printed with 100-nanometer accuracy, creating structures that mimic those of much larger batteries.

Copenhagen Wheel Adds Power Boost to Any Bike The self-contained Copenhagen Wheel is fitted onto the back wheel of an existing bike to provide an electric boost. Designed by a team from MIT and sponsored by the Mayor of Copenhagen, the wheel was first unveiled at the 2009 COP15 Climate Change Conference. It is equipped with onboard electronics that can sense how hard the rider is pedaling and trigger the motor to kick in, if necessary. By using a smartphone and an accompanying app, the rider can program how much assistance the motor provides as well as track their riding stats. As an added security precaution, the wheel will automatically lock when the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s phone is out of Bluetooth range. The wheel is being manufactured by Superpedestrian and is available for pre-order.

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RADAR

Microphone Throat Tattoo Patented Motorola has patented a technology that pairs a microphone tattoo on the throat with mobile devices, eliminating background noise for clearer phone calls. The tattoo, which would actually simply adhere to the larynx of the user, would be equipped with its own power supply, antenna receiver and optional display. It would pair with mobile devices via Bluetooth, NFC and ZigBee network, transmitting the vibrations from the larynx directly to the devices.

Smart Foam Detects Concussions Joining the effort to monitor concussions sustained by football players, a student has designed a smart foam for helmets that will measure the force of each impact to the head. The Xonano (“exo-nano”) silicon-based, piezoelectric smart foam contains nanoparticles that will generate electric signals when compressed. The signals are then transmitted wirelessly to the trainer or a coach’s digital device. According to Jake Merrell, the Brigham Young student who designed the foam, “A coach will know within seconds exactly how hard their player just got hit. Even if a player pops up and acts fine, the folks on the sidelines will have data showing that maybe he isn’t OK.

Jellyfish Inspire More Stable Flying Drones The jellyfish’s ‘flight’ through water has inspired a small flying drone able to maintain a more stable flight without the need for a complex control system. Many robotic drones have been based around the flight mechanisms of insects such as fruit flies, but that form requires a series of complicated adjustments in order to remain stable. In contrast, the new, jellyfish design features a set of four wings arranged like flower petals. The motion of the wings resembles the pulsing motions of a jellyfish, enabling the drone to hover, ascend and fly in designated directions while also remaining stable. Eliminating some of the complicated stabilizers reduces weight and frees up extra space, paving the way for smaller and more energy efficient drones.

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November/December 2013

Coxa Carry Re-thinks Backpack Straps RADAR

The Coxa Carry system was designed to make backpacks more comfortable, shifting the straps and the belt for more flexibility and less stress on shoulders. Developed by Claes Bergkvist, the Coxa Carry system brings the curved straps over the chest and down the center of the torso. They attach in the front of the body to the multi-pronged hip belt buckle, which secures the straps and pulls the weight off the shoulders and onto the hips. Bergkvist has other buckle designs in the works as well, including a single clip buckle that secures the two shoulder straps with one click.

Ink Jet Printed Working Circuits

Researchers have developed a way to print electronic circuits on a wide array of materials using an ink jet printer. This innovation opens the door to magazines and clothing printed with a working circuit. The key element in the technology is a liquid metal alloy made of gallium and indium. The metal is liquid at room temperature so it can be sent through an ink jet printer and delivered to the intended material as a fine spray of liquid metal droplets. The droplets oxidize as they are sprayed from the printer, and the metal oxide forms layers that allow the circuits to adhere to the material.

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COVER STORY

A Michigan Automotive Executive and Inventor realizes product dream—copycats start invading the marketplace.

any great businesses have been started on the proverbial shoe-string budget. In the case of Michigan inventor and entrepreneur Cheong-Choon Ng, it was a well-executed, simple idea that “stretched” into the Rainbow Loom®, one of the fastest growing craft items in the nation. Rubber bands are woven into brightly colored bracelets and rings, which kids wear and share with their friends. YouTube already features thousands of how-to videos, uploaded by budding artists and videographers. Their parents are likely thrilled to see them captivated by something other than television or the latest video games. After painfully progressing through online sales and specialty toy stores, Rainbow Loom® is now featured in specialty and online stores and Michael’s arts and crafts stores nationwide. Rainbow Loom® is one of the hottest toys of the year. Getting this far has had its trials and tribulations for the independent inventor. There were difficulties with prototypes, design corrections and material and manufacturing issues. Many retailers, big and small, almost literally slammed the door in Choon’s face as he

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November/December 2013

tried to sell his idea. And, just figuring out how to store and assemble large shipments of components was a huge challenge. In addition to thousands of hours and many sleepless nights, Choon and his family risked their children’s college education fund and the family’s entire life savings on this enterprise. But, now, after finally tasting success, some large retailers and overseas toy manufacturers are starting to flood the marketplace with imitations of Choon’s product. “The Rainbow Loom® represents our family,

COVER STORY

who we are and what we believe in,” says Choon, a native Malaysian of Chinese descent, and an American citizen who came to the United States in 1991 with his brother to study engineering. “It not only hurts financially, but also, personally to see inferior, perhaps unsafe copies of our product sold,” adds Choon, who enlisted long-time family friend and patent attorney John Siragusa of Carlson, Gaskey & Olds to help enforce the Rainbow Loom’s® patent and trademark.

Time with his dauther leads to great toy Prompted by a desire to take an interest in what excited his children -- older daughter Teresa, then aged 12, and younger daughter Michelle, then aged 9 -- Choon was intrigued by the bracelets that they were making from pony tail bands. This reminded Choon of a childhood activity of weaving jump ropes out of rubber bands in Malaysia, so he joined them. He thought he could show his daughters how to do this, but he discovered that his fingers were November/December 2013

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COVER STORY The dream of every inventor—the finished product.

now too big. This inspired him to craft a jig using wood and push pins. He built the first one in his basement and tinkered with it. “At first they were not impressed,” said Choon. “But as the patterns got more complex, I won my daughters over.” That was in 2010, recounts Choon, whose day job as an engineer at the time was in crash restraint with Nissan Motors in the metro Detroit area. What was the most difficult part of leaving Nissan to pursue Rainbow Loom full time? “I had been working as an engineer for the last 18 years before leaving Nissan and I was the only “bread” winner in the family.”

“THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF LEAVING NISSAN WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO ENSURE MY FAMILY’S FINANCIAL SECURITY WHEN I PURSUED RAINBOW LOOM FULL TIME.”

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A challenge became a pastime. A pastime became a frenzy of sorts, and Choon became a hero with the neighborhood kids who all wanted to learn how to make the intricate bracelets and rings. Daughter Teresa said, “Dad, kids will buy this.” Choon’s wife Fen wasn’t so sure. She knew the family’s resources were limited, as they had recently moved into a new home at what proved to be the height of the housing bubble. Her daughters had college ahead of them. Even at this early stage, she saw how draining the “product development cycle” could be. Fen thought, “How have rubber band bracelets come to consume my family’s waking hours?” However, Choon and his daughters were persistent—and the bracelets kept getting better and better. After months of worry and stress, Choon and Fen made the decision to invest their life savings, which stood at about $10,000, to bring the product to market. In doing so, Choon drew on his extensive automotive industry experience in product design and prototyping, supply chain management and product safety. But bringing a major vehicle platform to fruition is quite different than going it alone out of one’s

Viral marketing takes hold

At his brother Cheong-Yeow’s urging, the Rainbow Loom® began to be sold online, but something else was needed. Choon walked mall after mall, asking retail managers to give the product a try. They all turned him down. Realizing that people did not understand what the loom could do, Choon and his family created YouTube videos to demonstrate the product to others. Loyal users followed with immensely popular videos of their own.

Fortunately, an early retail boost did come from the nationwide Learning Express specialty toy stores, whose franchise owners took the time to nurture the product. When one franchisee boosted her order from 48 kits to a $10,000 bulk order, Choon and family knew that they were on to something special. Mushrooming growth in orders has led to a 7,500 square foot warehouse operation for assembly and distribution in April 2013, and the Rainbow Loom® is now available in more than 2,000 retail outlets nationwide.

Perils of success In 2011, Choon filed for a patent for the Brunnian link making device and kit in honor of Hermann Brunn, the 19th century mathematician known for his work with convex geometry. This patent was granted in July 2013. The toy’s original name was Twistz Bandz, but Choon found an apparel accessory with the same name. Brother Cheong-Yeow’s daughter, Angelynn, suggested its now trademarked name of Rainbow Loom®, because “kids love rainbows.” It was earlier this year that news found its way back to Choon from his retail network that “we are being approached to buy a copycat product.” Knock-off products have also appeared in several major U.S. toy retailers including Toys R Us. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable, says Siragusa, who practices with the Birmingham, Mich.-based law firm Carlson, Gaskey & Olds. “The Rainbow Loom® is an incredible phenomenon and a great success story, and there is no shortage of folks looking to profit from Choon’s hard work,” Siragusa says. “Many knock-off kits are already widely available on websites that sell wholesale merchandise directly to retailers.” When asked his initial reaction to finding out knockoffs such as Cra-Z-Loom & Fun Loom, Choon described “My initial reaction was upset, but later I focus my energy on developing and improving my products. “ “We do want to distinguish between small operators who don’t yet know about the trademark and patent and those larger infringers who are going out of their way to purposefully steal Choon’s protected property,” said Siragusa’s legal partner and litigation expert Steven Susser. “The sad fact is that some companies are willing to take a calculated risk that short-term profits will far exceed any legal costs or judgments that we may bring.”

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COVER STORY

“inventor’s basement.” Mold makers had to be interviewed and retained. Finding the final loom form and material took many trials. Reinventing the household push-pin was its own challenge, so that the rubber bands could be applied and the finished product removed easily. Along the way, Choon kept refining his product. Try ordering 2,000 pounds of rubber bands at a time. As bands starting coming in, the family realized they had been stored on floors and were not clean enough to package. So, a couple of bucket loads at a time, in they went into the family bathtub, with everyone taking a turn stirring them about with a canoe paddle. After rinsing and draining, spread out on clean towels, the living room became the “drying room.” All along, Choon strove to make the Rainbow ® Loom as kid-proof as it could be. For example, sharp edges have been reduced, even if the loom should break. Also, while Rainbow Loom® components are sourced in China, the kits meet all U.S. toy safety standards and are BPA-free, lead-free and chromium-free.

COVER STORY

The family team behind the Rainbow Loom.

Forced to defend your patent, what do you feel would be the ideal outcome? “The ideal outcome is that we win the lawsuit and send a good message to the copyright. That will provide good confidence level to the inventors that their idea will be protected in the United States. For now, Choon is getting the word out to distributors, retailers and consumers to avoid infringing products, but he reserves the right and pledges to enforce his trademark and patent, as appropriate. He also intends to continue to refine and evolve the product, now on its 28th iteration. Designed with quality and safety in mind, the family is proud that the Rainbow Loom® inspires creativity, problem-solving techniques and social interaction. Like many other quality toys, it improves fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, visual-spatial reasoning and pattern recognition. “We developed Rainbow Loom® honestly, with hard work, painful risk and an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit,” Choon says. “It’s not just a product, but an experience that we offer our customers. Rainbow Loom® is here to stay.” What advice would you have for another inventor in a similar situation?—

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“BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT AND KEEP ON REFINING IT SO THAT IT IS DIFFCULT FOR ANYONE TO CHANGE YOUR DESIGN, BECAUSE YOURS IS THE BEST. MANAGE YOUR GROWTH SLOWLY SO THAT YOU CAN OWN EVERYTHING BY THE END OF THE DAY.”

7616 Currell Blvd., Suite 200 St. Paul, MN 55125 Phone 651 552 0080 Fax 651 552 7678 Email info@lambertinvent.com

HAVE AN INVENTION OR PRODUCT IDEA? LICENSE YOUR INVENTION AND BE PAID ROYALTIES!

INTRODUCING LAMBERT & LAMBERT If you are an inventor with a patent or just someone who has one great idea for a new invention, we can help. We are licensing agents in search of great inventions or product ideas to bring to market by way of licensing.

IDENTIFY + COLLABORATE Lambert & Lambert represents inventors and product developers all over the world. Our core focus is in identifying a commercializable product and placing it with a company well-positioned to sell it in high volumes. In doing so, our client maximizes the return on their invention by receiving a royalty percentage on the sales of the product for as long as it sells.

CONTINGENCY BASED - RESULTS DRIVEN Our first step is for us to perform a license feasibility study for your invention to evaluate its potential. If we like it and think your product could sell, we will represent you on contingency! That means we are paid only when we are successful at getting royalties for you. At that point we are paid a percentage - our share is 30% and you retain 70% of the royalty.

TO LEARN MORE CONTACT US TODAY!

SELF EVALUATION •

Does your Invention Provide a Unique Solution to a Real Problem?

•

Is it Superior to Existing Products?

•

Does it have a Large Potential Market?

•

Can it be Produced and Sold at a Profit?

IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO THESE QUESTIONS, WE WANT TO SEE YOUR INVENTION!

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY "Thank you for licensing my product twice! Your persistent, professional and SUCCESSFUL efforts to create royalty revenue are truly commendable." - Barry E., Louisville, KY "Thanks to Lambert & Lambert, my invention was successfully licensed...They found a forward-thinking, imaginative housewares manufacturer, stuck with it and sculpted the agreement until all parties were happy. I'd submit another invention to L&L in a minute - they are professional, honest, accessible and do what they say they will." - Jim M., Chicago, IL

Phone 651-552-0080 Email info@lambertinvent.com www.lambertinvent.com Web

L A M B E R T & L A M B E R T , I N C | 1 1 1 8 0 Z E A L A N D A V E November/December N | M I N N E A P O L2013 I S , MInventorsDigest.com N 55316-3594 TEL 651-552-0080 | FAX 651-552-7678

SPOTLIGHT

SOLVING SEDENTARY F

rom just about every direction—popular press, healthcare providers, scientific research, the list goes on—we’re told that sitting all day is killing us. The reality may be less dramatic, but our increasingly sedentary lifestyles are certainly detrimental to our long-term health. Movement is essential during the day to maintain wellness, and we’re not doing enough of it. An estimated 70% of the U.S. workforce sits in offices each day and the average American spends about 95% of his or her workday seated. The resulting health risks include premature spinal disc degeneration, lowered metabolism and a sluggish circulatory system. Standing all day may sound like an appealing idea, but has its own host of health problems including blood pooling in the lower extremities and even varicose veins. It’s also 20% harder on the body than sitting is. But if we shouldn’t be sitting all day, and constantly standing isn’t the solution either, what should we be doing? Ergonomists recommend using height-adjustable, sit-stand tables because they conveniently enable 24

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users to spontaneously stand and sit throughout the day. A sit-stand table can alleviate much of the stress placed on the worker’s body and encourage healthy posture throughout the day. Alternating between sitting and standing postures has numerous benefits, including increasing circulation, relieving stress on the spine and muscles and mitigating all the deleterious effects of prolonged sedentary behavior. And changing postures may even benefit our waistlines. A 2009 Mayo Clinic study found that it was possible to burn an additional 340 calories per day by spending two hours standing instead of sitting. Beyond health benefits, studies show that intermittent standing can increase productivity levels through a reduction in work break time. In fact, in one study, non-standers took an average of 47% more work breaks than standers and the duration of work breaks was 56% longer for non-standers than that of standers. In the modern workplace, height-adjustable, sit-stand tables are more essential than ever. They come in many forms. Some use an electric motor that wastes costly energy; others have crossbeams that

A table that is incorrectly adjusted and/or that does not have a proper mechanism to ensure safe usage can be hazardous. To help prevent injury, Float’s unique safety mechanism inhibits users from adjusting the table when the contents of the table are not properly balanced. An ideal addition for the modern workspace, Float is a brilliantly designed, dynamic solution to the sedentary behavior dilemma, and seamlessly ]integrates into any environment.

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SPOTLIGHT

-wastes costly energy; others have crossbeams that inhibit clearance by the user’s feet. And others still have a lack of height adjustability, weight accommodation and an absence of a safety mechanism and often use cumbersome mechanisms that make the table difficult to adjust. Most of these existing heightadjustable solutions work, however, they are just inconvenient enough that people do not actually use them as they were intended to be used. Considering the various risks of sedentary behavior, there is a dire need for an intuitive ergonomic solution to the heightadjustable table conundrum. Enter Humanscale’s revolutionary height-adjustable, sit-stand table, Float, which was designed with the modern worker and office environment in mind. Using unique constant-force technology, Float enables easy, one-hand counterbalance weight adjustment, and near-effortless height adjustment for ergonomic sit-stand usage. Named because it neatly “floats” into position when its release is engaged, the Float table offers weightless adjustment without force. A form flowing from function, Float’s elegant, architectural lines belie its exceptionally sophisticated functionality within. Ease of use is key, and this is at the heart of Float’s operation. Even employees who are provided with a height-adjustable, sit-stand table are potentially unlikely to take the time to raise and lower it throughout the day if it is difficult in any way to do so. A simple mechanism, such as Float’s, that people of any stature can use to adjust their table will ensure that they feel comfortable modifying the desk to suit their needs. Crossbeams prohibit users from extending their legs beneath the desk. Float eliminates knee clearance issues, since it doesn’t have a crossbeam. And Float doesn’t use electricity to raise or lower the table and its contents, thereby making it an exceptionally sustainable sit-stand offering. To maximize a height-adjustable table’s ergonomic potential, a wide range of height adjustability is extremely important. Specifically, a 20-inch height range will accommodate more than 90% of the population in both sitting and standing postures. Float provides this, as well as ample weight accommodation. Float easily supports the weight (up to 130 pounds) that is common to an individual’s workflow. Safety is something that should also be considered.

INVENTORS

THE

Inventors

Corner I

nventors who want to test the waters of interest with manufacturers and retailers without a heavy financial investment find a safe harbor with the Inventors Corner Pavilion at the International Home + Housewares Show held annually in Chicago. The Show is put on by the not-for-profit International Housewares Association (IHA). Created 10 years ago as a way to showcase innovation and newness in the industry, the Inventors Corner has grown to be a premier destination point at the Show for buyers, news media and exhibitors. Beginning with just a dozen inventors and their creations, the Inventors Corner now features 60 companies spanning the breadth of Show categories from tabletop and kitchen products to general merchandise and pet supplies to health and beauty and home hardware. Many buyers make this pavilion their first stop at the Show. In addition to the industry exposure, Inventors Corner exhibitors receive a free product evaluation during the “Pitch to the Pros” panels in the Inventors Revue, an educational destination adjacent to the Corner. The Inventors Revue features industry experts offering advice on product development and marketing interspersed with the professional review panels all Show days. Post-Show, inventors may have their product featured in Inventors Corner-sponsor, Invention Home’s exclusive online presentation “The Inventor After the Show,” which is linked on IHA’s website, (www.housewares.org) and promoted in IHA communications to members. Throughout the years, several inventors have found success for their products because of their participation in the Inventors Corner and others have gone on to take exhibit space on their own in their appropriate show category. “The Inventors Corners at the International Home + Housewares Show has been instrumental in our success,” said Chris Johnson, CEO of Rapid Ramen, Inc. and an exhibitor in the 2013 Show. “It provided us amazing exposure, education, connections, and most importantly, customers. We sell Rapid Ramen Cookers in the top retailers in the country.” 26

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For Craig Madaus, CEO of BuBi Bottle, the Inventors Corner helped the fledgling company craft its pitch and marketing efforts. Exhibiting in the pavilion for the 2012 and 2013 Housewares Shows, Madaus said participating in the “Pitch to the Pros” panel review helped him broaden his sales pitch and the BuBi Bottle won the Best Concept Award, creating a lot of attention for his product. “Today we are in 600 retail stores and 16 countries,” he says. “Success for Inventors Corner exhibitors may also come in the form of media coverage of the Show. For example, producers from the Food Network program “Invention Hunters” attend and have selected inventors from the pavilion for their show, including the BuBi Bottle. The program works with housewares supplier and Show exhibitor, Lifetime Brands, Inc., to bring kitchen tools and accessories to market. The 2014 International Home + Housewares Show will be held March 15-18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. Booths are available in the Inventors Corner Pavilion. For exhibit information contact: Ginny Costello of IHA gcostello@housewares.org Stephanie James Inventors Corner Pavilion Coordinator inventorscorner2014@gmail.com For more information about the Show, please visit www.housewares.org

TRENDS

n a recent move, the Obama Administration has cracked down on “patent trolls,” in an effort to stop them from influencing and utilizing the patent system for solely financial gain. But what is a patent troll and what do they cost us? Investopedia states a Patent Troll is “a derogatory term used to describe people or companies that misuse patents as a business strategy,” but what does that mean? It means that Patent Trolls buy patents from companies, who are often in financial predicaments, and use those cut-price patents to their own sole advantage. The Patent Troll can then threaten or pursue lawsuits against “infringing companies” that they believe are utilizing similar designs or ideas to those protected in the patents they just bought, or they can hold on to the patents with absolutely no intention of practicing the invention, in an attempt to stop others. The model unquestionably ends up monetizing patents as standalone intellectual property rights, and this has had knock-on effects for inventors, innovation, large and small companies alike, and/so to be less derogatory, Patent Trolls are also known as “non-practicing entities” (NPEs) or “patent assertion entities” (PAEs). In the past, the PAEs have been a problem very typically associated with the software industry; however as this dries up as a source of revenue they are now thought to be a problem for other industries such as city governments, hotels, banks, and retail entities… basically any company who uses that software as part of the business routine. Very recently, a number of small businesses were targeted by PAE companies: for example a PAE asserts they own an in-force patent for the concept of scanning a document and sending it electronically. Small businesses are encouraged to license the patent for a fee of $1,000 per the company employee; and if the business refused they were threatened with a patent infringement lawsuit against them. Patent lawsuits are notoriously expensive. But what do PAEs cost us and who do they hurt?—

The businesses that get hurt the most are the small to medium sized companies since they don’t have the resources to fight these PAEs and so must often settle before court. It may not cost each business much but this extra cost of business for small companies can result in a price hike for the consumer or in extreme cases the company going out of business. Settlement costs for small to medium sized companies last year have been estimated to be $1.33 million and litigation costs $1.75 million. Larger companies are also adversely affected, as settlement costs for a large company can be over $7m, and litigation costs over $8 million. On some figures 5% of lawsuits cost the company more than $22 million. (Social Science Research Network Paper) Consequently the Obama Administration has urged the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to take up new reforms, which should also prevent lawsuits dealing with patents tying up the court system increasingly. These reforms will hopefully help bring a sense of transparency to the patent system and hopefully give inventors a level playing field. For more information about these reforms, you can go to the White House Office of the Press Secretary. In addition to the reforms, the White House would also like to see the USPTO train its examiners to cut down on overly broad patent claims and educate small inventors about patent trolls and how to deal with them. The White House also thinks that the USPTO should reach out to inventors, so they can have a say in developing new policies and laws. Hopefully with these new measures, it will be harder for “patent trolls” to roam the sea of patents.

About Author: Jessica Vann works for Innovate Product Design, a company that helps inventors design and development their new inventions. She comes from a family of inventors and loves to give information that will help her fellow inventor.

November/December 2013

InventorsDigest.com

PROTOTYPING

BY Jeremy Losaw

LET THERE BE LIGHT

here are innovations all around us from the time we wake up until the time we go to sleep. Some are brand new and others have existed since long before we were born. However, putting a new spin on an old innovation can lead to a breakthrough product. Take electric lighting for example. The “flameless candle” has been around for over 100 years, but the idea has evolved massively over time. Edison came up with the original carbon filament bulb, and there are now myriad lighting options with varied technologies that are on the market. Edison Nation member and inventor Peter Goncalves is hoping that his new take on the flameless candle, called the Stem Light, will be the next must-have product in interior lighting. As a part of Enventys, (Edison Nation’s in-house engineering team) my colleagues and I had the pleasure of helping him to bring it to life. Pete Goncalves is a 3D graphic artist. He was born in Portugal, but has lived in Connecticut for most of his life. He has a passion for drawing, as well as 3D graphic arts. With a naturally-curious personality, Pete wondered if he could create a light that had a great modern aesthetic, while being customizable to suit the desired mood in an interior space. After researching LED lighting and a few weeks of creating concept sketches, the Stem Light was born. The Stem Light consists of a vase and a series of stems with LEDs in them. The vase has two electrical contacts, one in the base and one along the upper rim. When a stem is placed in the vase, it makes contact with the center electrical contact in the bottom and the upper contact on the rim. This powers the LED in the stem and turns the light on. To change the mood, the stem can be removed from the lower contact and placed along the lower edge of the vase. This breaks the contact and turns the stem off, so it is a completely customizable lighting solution. Pete had a great idea on hand, but he needed to create a prototype. As an Edison Nation member, Pete was familiar with our engineering capabilities, so he enlisted our help to bring his great 3D concept models from idea to functioning prototype.

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Pete’s product is pretty unique in that the technology was pretty straightforward, but it just needed some fine tuning and a good aesthetic. Since it did not require a lot of testing or background research, we were able to put it on an accelerated path. Pete had plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign for the product once finished, so we were able to use our tools to go from CAD to a functioning prototype ready for filming in just 4 days. The first thing that needed to be done was to spec the lights that were going to be used in the prototype. Initially, I wanted to use an off-the-shelf candelabra bulb. So I went to a home improvement store and bought a couple of LED candelabras in different sizes and intensities. I wired them up and showed them to the rest of the team, only to discover that we had three problems. The first was that the candelabra bulbs were either way too bright or way too dim. The second was that even the smallest bulb was too big. Finally, and most importantly, the bulbs all ran on 110 volts A/C power from a standard wall socket. This presented an electrocution hazard if a piece of metal created a connection between the two contacts in the vase. So it was back to the drawing board.

PROTOTYPING Fortunately, I had a box of 5mm square LEDs in the shop leftover from another project which would run on 5 volts D/C, were a medium intensity, and had a wide beam angle. I quickly wired one up and showed it to Pete. He approved of both the size and the intensity, and we decided to use these for the light in the stems. With the lights chosen, I started designing the vase. I specced out a piece of acrylic tubing for the body, and roughed in a base for it to sit in. The electrical contacts needed to be conductive and decorative, so stainless steel was the obvious choice for the material. Since we were on a limited budget and accelerated time scale, I knew that machining custom shapes for the contacts was out of the question. So I went to the store to look for some existing products that we could hack. I found an acrylic container with stainless steel lids for the upper contact, and I found a stainless steel canister that was the perfect size and shape for the center contact. With these in hand, I finished the design for the base of the vase from the geometry of the canister, and I added a trough around it to hold the bottom of the stems when they are in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;offâ&#x20AC;? position.

November/December 2013

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PROTOTYPING Then, I started designing the stems. First, I laid out the circuit board with the LED and the resistor on it, as that would drive the dimensions of the rest of the stem. Then I used the styling cues from Peteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3D renderings and created the flute shape for the light to sit in and a clear lens to sit on top of it. Next, I added a stainless steel tube for the length, with a bullet-shaped piece of stainless for the lower connection point and a piece of non-conductive plastic between them to keep them from shorting out. From there, I ordered the shelf components and sent the custom-designed parts to our SLA 3D printer that was provided to us by 3D Systems. The design was done in less than a day, and parts started arriving the next day. On the first day of the build, we

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pulled the parts off of the 3D printer and did some test fitting. The base of the vase and the flutes were sanded, primed, and painted with a paint that replicated the look of stainless steel. The lenses were sanded using 220 grit all the way to 2000 grit sandpaper and then polished to make the lenses transparent. In the meantime, engineer Patrick Bailey soldered the circuit boards together while engineer Heyward Moore cut out some stainless steel pieces on our Omax waterjet cutter. On the second day of the build, we trimmed and assembled the stainless rods for the stems, and prototyping guru, Chris Gabriel, turned some parts on the lathe. We finished assembly on the vase and hooked it up to a power supply. We did a test run with one of the stems to make sure everything worked. There were no issues and the final touch was to glue the lenses to the flutes. Then we put all four of the flutes in the vase and ran them all together for the first time. Everything worked perfectly and the prototype looked great. We sent some pictures to Pete, and he was ecstatic to see his vision come to life.

FIRST LEGO

MINTY

MATRIX

A team of Girl Scouts program a robot to help seniors

FIRST LEGO

Edison Nation was pleased to again partner with FIRST Lego League for their annual Global Innovation Award. Ten teams from across the country were selected as semi-finalists in this year’s Senior Solutions challenge. This month we’re spotlighting the Minty Matrix team from Melbourne, Fla.

Tell us about your team! Our team is a Girl Scout Team called the Minty Matrix. Our members are: fourth graders Logan Burr and Lauren Gillis; sixth grader Sally Ross; and eighth graders Miranda Gillis, Emily Hunley, Jessica Matteson, Jessica Riddle and MyKayla Sherrill.

challenge because we felt that our project could possible help thousands of elderly men and women – that is, if our project makes it far enough.

Tell Inventors Digest about your team – how did you all come together on this idea? We are a group of Girl Scouts that range in age from 9-14

Who is your favorite inventor and why? Lauren is inspired by Charles Babbage, for his invention of the computer, which was the forerunner to today’s computers, where we have the ability to run different kinds of programs. Miranda is inspired by Kozo Ohsome for his invention of the portable MP3 players which play music she loves to listen to.

Checking for safety features.

One of our Jessica’s is inspired by Alexander Graham Bell, for his invention of the telephone, which lead our way to current cellphones.

years of age. We attend six different schools in three different cities, which are Titusville, Melbourne and Palm Bay. We are all girl scouts that want to make the world a better place. We enjoy learning new things, finding new friends and helping others.

What inspired you about this year's Senior Solutions challenge? The team was inspired with the Senior Solution’s The team at the regional competition.

Did you encounter any problems or obstacles during the Senior Solutions challenge? As a group, we didn’t experience too much trouble with our project and talking to the seniors. The programming of our robot, on the other hand, brought us many challenges!

How did the team problem solve together to invent, and what has it taught you? We worked together to problem solve the issue by thinking up a design for the stove project idea, and we our team leader helped us build and create it. This experience taught us how collaborate as a group.

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When the girls grow up, they want to be a social psychologist, a physical therapist, a pediatrician and two veterinarians!

If you win the Global Innovation Award, what's next for the team? Moving onto the FTC Robotics, advancing our project, getting a patent and getting scholarships for college!

What advice or words of wisdom would you give other FIRST LEGO League innovators? Team members with their invention and seniors!

How does it feel to create something new? It feels great â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to know that this great invention was the work of you and your team mates, and that now one else has created it, just makes you feel great inside and out!

The scouts help teach about robotics.

Do not give up and keep trying because success will come! Also, if you fall down, jump back up and improve whatever needs to be changed.

What do you all think is the most important invention of your lifetime? The girls have different opinions: The fuel bicycle, invented by Aprilia; or clothes, because they do not want to see people naked!

FIRST LEGO

What do you all want to be when you grow up?

Q&A

Q&A BY EDIE TOLCHIN

& A with Jill Cakert, inventor of the new sports strategy signaling device, The Signalfan™: Our contributing editor, Edie G. Tolchin, recently met up with Jill Cakert, who was kind enough to share her insight and experience in inventing and developing her new sports-related product.

Edie G. Tolchin: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your background. Jill Cakert: My name is Jill Cakert, I am a dental hygienist, wife, mother of three, (grandmother of a 21 month-old granddaughter and a one day-old grandson, at the time of this writing.) I am also a softball coach. I received a scholarship to Temple University to play Division I softball. I have been involved with softball since I was nine years old and it has always been my passion. I got my education, met my husband, and made many good friends through the game. Out of my passion, and love of the game, The Signalfan was born. 34

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The Signalfan was a clearer way to give signs to our players while keeping our opponents totally guessing. It is much easier than trying to read a bunch of jumbled hand signals or shouting to players over the clamor of voices in a game. The Signalfan also enables coaches’ signs to look the same no matter which coach from your team is giving them. As a result, I was able to coach for our local high school varsity program and run the offense while I still worked part-time at the dental office. The one or two games I missed because of work were able to be coached by another coach without any miscommunication. The Signalfan standardized our signs and, it was right there to see. We won our high school’s first softball division championship in 35 years using The Signalfan for offense, defense, moving fielders, and even calling some pitches.

EGT: What exactly is The Signalfan Pat: D591,622?

November/December 2013

What are its many uses? Which types of sports teams can use it? JC: The Signalfan is a colorsignaling system that may also use direction, number of paddles, an indicator, a combination of those, or even a sequence of paddles to relate the coach’s or teacher’s instructions. It can be used for any sport in which there is time to glance over to get a sign. It is a non-verbal way to communicate and its applications are continually expanding into other sports and may also be useful in a classroom setting, for multilanguage, hearing-impaired, or a noisy environment.

EGT: Who decides which color(s) represent which strategies or moves? JC: Each coach, team, or person, chooses how they want to get their signs across. There are thousands of variations and the signs may be as simple or as complex as you wish. If you are using color you

EGT: I see you hold US Patent #D591,622. Did you do the patent research on your own? JC: I hired a patent attorney to research the patent and I reviewed all the papers as well. I also got a second legal opinion from another patent attorney.

EGT: How long did it take to obtain your patent? JC: I received confirmation of my patent a little over a year after it was filed.

EGT: Did you create a prototype? JC: Yes, the prototypes were made in various sizes and various attachments were tried. The input from a field hockey coach my nephew was dating at the time helped me decide on the size of the paddles. I wanted them to fit into a pocket. That same coach, Jaclyn Roesch, was the first to use The Signalfan for field hockey. And field hockey was the first sport to embrace The Signalfan.

EGT: Please share with us your

manufacturing process. Is your product made domestically or overseas? JC: My product is made in the USA with parts from different companies. I then assemble The Signalfan with help from family and friends. I had emailed various plastic companies and had gotten quite a few responses. Some actually called me and with their help I figured out the kind of material I needed to use.

EGT: Did you encounter any snafus or obstacles in making your product? JC: Figuring out every aspect of the product is time consuming and takes a lot of effort. (I took a lot of trips to our local hardware store.) Then, finding the best places to get the parts in some kind of small bulk is the next step. Finding a company that was willing to make a small batch (144) was not easy. I was lucky to have found one to start with. I moved to a computerized company after the first two batches.

EGT: Once you received your first production run, had you already begun to pre-sell The Signalfan, or did you perhaps work with a PR or marketing firm to get the word out there? JC: At first I gave some out for free. I actually attended a field hockey clinic for coaches and set up an inviting booth for coaches to speak to me about The Signalfan. The directors of the clinic allowed me to address the attendees to explain how The Signalfan worked. That was my first exposure to the public other than my using The Signalfan at tournaments in softball. My sales have been through my website, a

few other websites that I wholesale to or drop ship for, coaches’ clinics, and You Tube videos. It is now in 35 states in the US and also in Canada, Japan, and Italy.

EGT: Did you learn anything particularly significant about the marketing aspect of your product you might want to share with our readers? JC: To market something that is so different is not an easy task. I have found clinics and YouTube videos some of my best resources. I am open to and always looking for new ways to get the word out.

EGT: Do you have any final advice or words of encouragement for our readers? JC: People comment on how I have been tenacious and have kept plugging for so long (six years.) If you truly believe in your product and its worth, it is easy to persevere. It is then more a labor of love. It has been an interesting ride (and not easy to take); and, I am sure it will continue to be so. I feel The Signalfan is a true asset in the sports world. Communication is key in all things and very much so in sports.

EGT: How can our readers contact you and order your product? JC: www.thesignalfan.com and email is info@sportsignalfan.com. A portion of every sale is donated to Autism foundations. The cost of The Signalfan on my site is $24.99. Contact Edie Tolchin at egt@egtglobaltrading.com www.egtglobaltrading.com

November/December 2013

InventorsDigest.com

Q&A

can change the sign by switching the location of the color, change its direction, or perhaps the indicator or number of paddles. So the colors can stay the same all season. If you are using a number of paddles only and not color, you can vary the colors or direction or which side you hold it. Periodically, people have come up with new ideas that I haven’t even thought of. For example, if you have one of the 8% of the population who is colorblind you can simply add stripes or dots or other patterns to differentiate the paddles or simply use number of paddles and direction.

Experience the excitement of invention on American Public Television.

Invention s featured on Season Four span a broad range of product categorie s, from medical solutions to househol d innovatio ns and fitness devices.

For more information visit:

www.EverydayEdisons.com

WOMAN INVENTS

Q&A N

on-prejudicial disclosure periods are vital to many small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to patent their technology. Also known as a “grace period,” nonprejudicial disclosures allow inventors to publicly disclose their inventions 1 year prior to filing without compromising the patentability of the invention on grounds of novelty. As the US and European Union move forward in harmonization, the need to build nonprejudicial disclosures into global patent harmonization framework has never been more timely or important. It isn’t often that from a first meeting (virtual or in person) that you can tell from the beginning when you connect to someone, and that is exactly what I felt when I met the co-creator of Rainraps, Rachel Teyssler. Like many friends and women more specifically we find time to think of what could be better in our lives, and Rachel and her friend Stacey did that with what I would consider a true winner in the inventor world. I asked Rachel to share a little backstory on their life, previous careers and friendship. Rachel and

Stacey have been friends for over 12 years in Richmond Virginia, “I have a great idea Stacey, what do you think of this…” Rachel would always say…Stacey would think for a moment and say, “I’ll know when it is right.” Rachel never gave up on the friendship or the hope of one day being partners with Stacey. Stacey had the ah-ha moment, she was running late for a meeting at a friends house. It was a typical hot, humid, rainy day in Richmond. When she got to her friend’s house wet and uncomfortable, she thought there has got to be a better way. Why isn’t there a fashionable and easy piece to throw on; something like a pashmina but waterproof? Stacey called Rachel the minute she realized she was onto something, and without hesitation, Rachel knew she had the “IT” idea! Like most ideas, Stacey called her mom to get her opinion and it was her mom whom came up with the name, Rainrap. Of course like most first time inventors, the friends had some struggles with manufacturing here in the US and decided to talk to

BY DHANA COHEN their friend’s father who used to be a clothing manufacturer. With his direction and help they decided to produce in China. The ladies knew that each step they took was the right path and they truly believed in their idea, so getting the right PR firm made sense to get the word out and it worked. They were on the Today Show with a QVC contest and won, icing on the cake! What advice would these now seasoned inventors give? Not to give up, reach out to people you are close to and see who they know. Don’t feel uncomfortable to ask for advice. People are there to help! They love the saying “pay it forward and giving it back, with good karma.” Each month they try to give back to a particular non-profit. What does the new year look like? Take each day as it comes… coming up with new ideas for the Rainrap; patterns, colors and develop the Spirit Wrap for colleges.

November/December 2013

InventorsDigest.com

LANDER ZONE

SUCCESSFUL LICENSING NEGOTIATIONS JACK LANDER

Kim read through the draft, and at one point abruptly added two stipulations: She wanted control of quality, and she refused to allow the product to be produced overseas. The cordiality vanished. The president, vice president, and I were stunned. They were taking on tooling up, producing, and marketing of the product. It would be their right to produce wherever they preferred, and at a quality level that presumably would produce the highest profit for them, and the highest royalties for Kimberley. That’s traditional. To grant the inventor the control she insisted on was unreasonable, and it killed the deal on the spot. What had gone wrong? The inventor was naive about the invention licensing process. She couldn’t bear to release her “baby” without “visitation rights, and a say in how it would be brought up.” And, as her mentor, I had wrongly assumed she understood that once she signed the licensing agreement, she would no longer have any rights that were not clearly written into the agreement. I’ve since learned that last-minute unreasonable demands by the inventor are relatively common in licensing negotiations. We might call this “licensor’s remorse.” In another case, the inventor burst out with, “I want a $50,000 upfront advance against my royalties.” This was stated just as the parties were about to sign on the dotted line. It killed the deal, which, fortunately, wasn’t my deal, but was that of an associate. It isn’t always the inventor who poisons negotiations. In another negotiation in which I was involved, the licensee wrote terms into the agreement that had not been discussed in prior meetings. The worst of these was a term that enabled the licensee to take over all rights to the inventor’s patent and invention if the inventor defaulted on any of his agreement obligations. The inventor could have innocently neglected to comply with one of the agreement’s terms, and lost everything. Litigation may have restored his position, since the term was so one-sided and devious, but the inventor didn’t have the two-million dollars that such a lawsuit typically costs when waged through the federal courts. I’ve heard it said that lawyers are deal killers, and in this case it may have been true. The first lesson to be learned is that when we license our patent, we no longer participate in our invention’s fate except for terms that are written into the agreement. Whatever emotional reactions we will experience in the parting, we must work through before we negotiate. The second lesson we should learn is that we have the right to prepare, and be the first party to lay, a licensing agreement on the table. Work with a patent attorney to prepare the licensing agreement that you are comfortable with before serious negotiations begin. The licensee’s attorney would naturally prepare an agreement that favors his/her client. By going in with the agreement that favors you, you’ll have a much better chance of getting what you want. But temper your demands so that you don’t end up in a “pissing contest.” Be tactful about when to submit the agreement. The first meeting is likely to be too soon. This is usually “get acquainted” time, and the opportunity to show your invention, and brag about its benefits. But don’t wait too long, especially if you’re dealing with a large company that has licensed other inventions. It will have a licensing format

November/December 2013

InventorsDigest.com

3939

LANDER ZONE

e dined with the president and his wife, a lovely woman, and the vice president. The mood was friendly, and upped our level of confidence that we had a deal. The next day was our third conference, and the president presented the draft of the licensing agreement that we had verbally agreed to in the previous meetings. The signing would not take place at this meeting, of course, until the agreement had been vetted by Kim’s lawyer. But this was the time to make sure that the inventor was satisfied that our prior discussions were written properly in the printout.

LAND LAND ER ERZON ZON EE

-that can be customized quickly. The Universal Licensing Agreement found in David Pressman’s excellent book, Patent It Yourself, contains the essentials, but each deal is unique, and both inventor and licensee may have special needs and wants that aren’t covered in the stock forms. The Internet also offers free stock forms that are useful as checklists to be sure that however you obtain your agreement form – even if drafted by a patent attorney – you’ve covered the essentials, and added those terms that are special to you. Time and money will be saved if you review a good licensing agreement before sitting down with your patent attorney. And, yes, you’ll want a patent attorney for this work, not a general practice attorney. Fill in the blanks so that your attorney knows your mind. In a negotiation for one of my own inventions, I failed to specify a date for finalizing the agreement. Although it would have been unrealistic to stipulate a firm date beyond which negotiations would be broken off, I might have been able to convince the potential licensee to pay a reasonable fee per month for the option of further negotiations. Paying for an option is not an uncommon part of certain negotiations. After all, it is not uncommon for the licensee to drag out negotiations due to other demands on its time. The inventor is entitled to go on to another potential licensee at some point in time. And, of course, each month that passes is a month without royalty income, and one month closer to the expiration of the PPA (provisional patent application.) Negotiations that don’t seem to conclude without a good reason for delay, indicate an obstacle -- often human. Jealous engineers, for example. Or in-house lawyers who wish to shoot down the patent through a tedious search vof prior art. The NIH factor, (not invented here), kills many a licensing deal. Such delays may also indicate that the potential licensee is seeking alternatives, such as its own design.

In preparing your preliminary agreement don’t forget details such as:

• • • • • •

Who will pay for preparation and filing of the utility patent if your negotiations have been based on a PPA (Provisional Patent Application)? Who will build and pay for functional prototypes if you have been dealing with a virtual prototype (a sellsheet)? What will be the amount of the minimum annual royalty? Under what conditions of the licensees default will you receive back all of your rights? What will be the amount of the upfront advance against future royalties? What happens to your rights if you die?

As Samuel Goldwyn, the movie magnate, once said, “A verbal agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”

JACK LANDER

Jack@Inventor-mentor.com

InventorsDigest.com

November/December 2013

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Colorado Rocky Mountain Inventors’ Association Roger Jackson, President 1805 So. Bellaire St., Suite 480 Denver CO 80222 (303) 271-9468 info@rminventor.org RMInventor.org

Inventors Society of South Florida Leo Mazur, President P.O. Box 6008 Delray Beach, FL 33482 561-676-5677 inventorssociety.net mazurelectric@earthlink.net

Space Coast Inventors Guild Angel Pacheco Invent Alabama Connecticut 4346 Mount Carmel Lane Bruce Koppenhoefer Christian Inventors Association, Inc. Melbourne, FL 32901-8666 137 Mission Circle Pal Asija 321-768-1234 Montevallo, AL 35115 7 Woonsocket Ave. Tampa Bay Inventors’ Council 205-222-7585 Shelton, CT 06484 Wayne Rasanen, President bkoppy@hiwaay.net (203) 924-9538 7752 Royal Hart Drive pal@ourpal.com New Port Richey, FL 34653 ourpal.com Arizona (727) 565-2085 Inventors Association of Arizona, Inc. tbic.us CT Invention Convention Tim Crawley, President Georgia PO Box 230311 PO Box 6436 The Columbus Phoenix City Hartford CT. 06123-0311 Glendale, AZ 85302 Inventors Association 860-793-5299 (623) 680-5192 PO Box 8132, azinventors.org Danbury Inventors Group Columbus GA 31908 Robin Faulkner Carefree Innovators Mike Turner 2 Worden Avenue 34522 N Scottsdale Rd cpcinventorsassociation@yahoo.com Danbury, CT 06811 Scottsdale AZ 85266 http://cpcinventorsassociation.org (203) 790-8235 ideascouts@gmail.com Inventor Association of Georgia http://ideascout.org Dave Savage, Point of contact Inventors Association of Arkansas 1407 Bunky Lane Connecticut Arkansas Inventors’ Network Dunwoody, GA 30338 Doug Lyon Chad Collins 404-323-8686 521 Popes Island Road PO Box 56523 GaInventors.org Milford, CT 06461 Little Rock, AR 72215 dave@davesavage.com (203) 924-9538 Phone: (501) 247-6125 inventus.org Hawaii arkansasinvents.org Hawaii Inventors Club Aspiring Inventors Club California 95-488 Awiki st Peter D’Aguanno American Inventor Network Mililani, HI 96789 773 A Heritage Village Jeff McGrew II http://HawaiiInventorsClub.com Hilltop west 1320 High School Rd. Email: GaryF@ClayInnovations.com Southbury, CT 06488 Sebastopol, CA 95472 petedag@att.net Idaho (707) 829-2391 Inventors Association of Idaho District of Columbia Inventors Forum P.O. BOX 817 Inventors Network of the George White, President SANDPOINT, IDAHO 83854 Capital area PO Box 1008 http://inventorsassociationofidaho. P.O. Box 18052 Huntington Beach, CA 92647-1008 webs.com/ Baltimore, MD 21220 Phone (714) 540-2491 inventone@hotmail.com Ph: 443 794 7350 inventorsforum.org www.dcinventors.org Creative Juices Inventors Society 7175 W. Ring Perch Drive Invention Accelerator Workshop Florida 11292 Poblado Rd. Inventors Council of Central Florida Boise, Idaho 83709 http://www.inventorssociety.org San Diego, CA 92127 Dr. David Flinchbaugh reme@inventorssociety.org (858) 451-1028 5635 Commerce Drive Enovex@aol.com Orlando, FL 32839 Illinois 407-760-7200 Chicago 1st Black Inventors/ San Diego Inventors Forum Inventorscouncilcentralfla.us Entrepreneurs Organization Adrian Pelkus, President drdavidflinchbaugh@bellsouth.net Calvin Flowers 1195 Linda Vista, Suite C Edison Inventors Association, Inc. 2444 W. 16th Street San Marcos, CA 92069 PO Box 60972 Chicago, IL 60608 (760) 591-9608 Ft. Myers, FL 33906 312-850-4710 sdinventors.org (239) 275-4332 cfbieo.org edisoninventors.org grossrdlab@yahoo.com

Black Hawk Hills Entrepreneur & Inventor Club PO Box 173 Lanark, IL 61046 (815) 541-0577 http://www.bheic.com Email: info@bheic.com Illinois Innovators & Inventors Don O’Brien, President P.O. Box 623 Edwardsville, IL 62025 ilinventor.tripod.com Indiana Indiana Inventors Association David Zedonis 10699 Evergreen Point Fishers, IN 46037 (317) 842-8438 indianainventorsassociation.blogspot.com Iowa Iowa Inventors Group Frank Morosky-President PO Box 10342 Cedar Rapids, IA 52410 (206) 350-6035 info@iowainventorsgroup.org iowainventorsgroup.org Kansas Inventors Assoc. of S. Central Kansas Richard Freidenberger 2302 N. Amarado St. Wichita KS, 67205 (316) 721-1866 inventor@inventkansas.com inventkansas.com Inventor’s Club of Kansas City Carrie Jeske, President 15701 Howe Street Overland Park, KS 66224 (913) 322-1895 inventorsclubofkc.org Carrie@theickc.org MidAmerica Inventors Association, Inc. David F. Herron II PO Box 12457 Overland Park, KS 66282 (913) 495-9465 midamerica-inventors.com Kentucky Central Kentucky Inventors Council, Inc. Don Skaggs 699 Perimeter Drive Lexington, KY 40517 dlwest3@yahoo.com ckic.org Louisville Metro Inventors Council PO 17541 Louisville, KY 40217 Alex Frommeyer lmic.membership@gmail.com

INVENTORS GROUPS

Alabama Auburn Student Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club Auburn University Campus Samuel Ginn College of Engineering 1210 Shelby Center Auburn, AL 36849 Grant Moore hgm0001@gmail.com

INVENTORS GROUPS

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Louisiana International Society of Product Design Engineers/ Entrepreneurs Roderick Whitfield PO Box 1114 Oberlin, LA 70655 (337) 802-9737 international-society-ofproductdesign-engineers.ws

Muskegon Inventors Network Orville Crain 530 East Giles Road Muskegon, MI 49445 (866) 719-1290 muskegoninventorsnetwork.org

Minnesota Inventors’ Network (Mpls./St.Paul) Todd Wandersee 4028 Tonkawood Rd Mannetonka, MN 55345 Maryland Inventors Network of the Capital Area (612) 353-9669 www.inventorsnetwork.org C/O Glen Kotapish PO Box 18052 Minnesota Inventors Congress Baltimore, MD 21220 Deb Hess, Executive Director (443) 794-7350 235 S Mill Street, PO Box 71 ipatent@aol.com Redwood Falls MN 56283 dcinventors.org 507.627.2344 800.468.3681 Massachusetts info@minnesotainventorscongress.org Cape Cod Inventors Association www.minnesotainventorscongress.org PO Box 143 Wellfleet, MA 02667 Society of Minnesota Inventors (508) 349-1628 20231 Basalt street inventne.org Anoka Mi 55303 (763) 753-2766 Innovators Resource Network inventorsnetwork.org P.O. Box 6695 Holyoke, MA 01041 Missouri (Meets in Springfield, MA) Southwest Missouri Inventors 413-367-3668 (367-MEET) Network info@IRNetwork.org Springfield Missouri irnetwork.org Jan & Gaylen Healzer Inventors Association of New England PO Box 357 Nixa, Mo 65714 Robert Hausslein janhealzer@yahoo.com PO Box 335 (417) 827-4498 Lexington, MA 02420 (781) 862-9102 Inventors Association of St. Louis rhausslein@rcn.com Robert Scheinkman Inventne.com PO Box 410111 St. Louis, MO 63141 Michigan (314) 432-1291 Jackson Inventors Network inventorsconnection.org John D. Hopkins, Chairman president@inventorsconnection.org 2755 E. Berry Rd. Rives Junction, Mich. 49277 Inventor’s Club of Kansas City jhopkins@jacksoninventors.org Carrie Jeske, President jacksoninventors.org 15701 Howe Street Overland Park, KS 66224 Grand Rapids Inventors Group (913) 322-1895 Bonnie Knopf, President inventorsclubofkc.org 2100 Nelson SE Carrie@theickc.org Grand Rapids, MI 49507 (616) 293-1676 grinventors.org Mississippi info@grinventors.org Mississippi SBDC Inventor Assistance Inventors Council of Mid-Michigan 122 Jeanette Phillips Dr. University, Mississippi 38677 Martin Sovis (662) 915-5001 PO Box 232 (800) 725-7232 Lennon, MI 48449-0232 msbdc@olemiss.edu (810) 659-6416 mssbdc.org msovis@comcast.net inventorscouncil.org

Nevada Inventors Society of Southern Nevada 3627 Huerta Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89121 (702) 435-7741 InventSSN@aol.com Nevada Inventors Association C4Cube Location 300 east 2nd st #1405 Reno, NV 89501 775-636-2822 info@nevadainventors.org nevadainventors.org New Jersey National Society of Inventors Stephen Shaw 8 Eiker Road Cranbury, NJ 08512 Phone: (609) 799-4574 Monthly meetings Held in Roselle Park, NJ nsinventors.com Jersey Shore Inventors Group Bill Hincher, President 24 E 3rd Street Howell, NJ 07731 (732) 407-8885 ideasbiz@aol.com

Long Island Forum for Technology, Inc. 111 West main Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 (631) 969-3700 LCarter@lift.org NY Society of Professional Inventors Daniel Weiss (516) 798-1490 (9AM - 8PM) dan.weiss.PE@juno.com North Carolina Inventors’ Network of the Carolinas Tom Getts, President 520 Elliot Street, Suite 300 Charlotte, NC 28202 (704) 369-7331 www.inotc.org tgetts@ezclaw.com North Dakota North Dakota Inventors Congress 2534 South University Drive, Suite 4 Fargo, ND 58103 (701) 281-8822 (800) 281-7009 neustel@patent-ideas.com ndinventors.com

Ohio Inventors Council of Cincinnati Jackie Diaz PO Box 42103 New Mexico Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 The Next Big Idea: Festival of Discovery, Invention and (513) 898-2110 x4 Inventorscouncil@inventcinci.org Innovation www.inventcincy.org Los Alamos MainStreet 109 Central Park Square Canton Inventors Association Los Alamos, NM 87544 Frank Fleischer Phone: (505) 661-4844 303 55th Street NW nextbigideaLA.com North Canton, OH 44720 (330) 499-1262 New York cantoninventorsassociation.org The Inventors Association of Manhattan (IAM) Ananda Singh-- Membership Manager Inventors Connection of Greater Cleveland Don Bergquist Location TBD ever 2nd Monday of Secretary 440-941-6567 the month P.O.. Box 360804 New York, NY Strongsville, OH 44136 manhattan-inventors.org Email: manhattan.inventors@gmail.com icgc@aol.com Sal Mancuso- VP (330) 273-5381 salmancuso@roadrunner.com Inventors Society of Western New York Inventors Council of Dayton Alan Reinnagel Stephen W. Frey 174 High Stone Circle Wright Brothers Station Pitsford, NY 14534 PO Box 611 585-943-7320 Dayton, OH 45409-0611 inventny.org (937) 256-9698 geopierce@earthlink.net Inventors & Entrepreneurs of daytoninventors.com Suffolk County, Inc. groups.yahoo.com/group/inventors_ Brian Fried council PO Box 672 Melville, NY 11747 Inventors Network (Columbus) (631) 415-5013 iesuffolk.com

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Inventors Network (Columbus) 1275 Kinnear Road Columbus, OH 43212-1155 (614) 470-0144 www.inventorscolumbus.com Youngstown-Warren Inv. Assn. 100 Federal Plaza east Suite 600 Youngstown, OH 44503 (330) 744-4481 rherberger@roth-blair.com Oklahoma Oklahoma Inventors Congress Dan Hoffman PO Box 204 Edmond, OK 73083-0204 (405) 348-7794 inventor@telepath.com oklahomainventors.com Oregon MicroEnterprise Inventors Program of Oregon (MIPO) Kedma Ough 5257 NE MLK, Suite 201 Portland,OR 97202 (503) 998-9560 mipooregon.org South Coast Inventors Group c/o Southwestern Business Development Center 2110 Newmark Coos Bay, OR 97420 541-756-6866 lcapps@southwestern.cc.or.us Inventors North West Attn: John Herrick #11 Pioneer Lane Sunriver, OR 97707 Jhunterh2001@yahoo.com www.inventorsnorthwest.com

Pennsylvania American Society of Inventors Henry Skillman PO Box 58426 Philadelphia PA 19102-5426 (215) 563-4100, Ext. 235 hskillman@ddhs.com asoi.org Central Pennsylvania Inventors Assn. 9 First Avenue Lemoyne, PA 17043 (717) 763-5742 S1Pickford@aol.com Pennsylvania Inventors Assn. 2317 East 43rd St. Erie, PA 16510 (814) 825-5820 pa-invent.org Williamsport Inventor’s Club One College Ave., DIF 32 Williamsport, PA 17701 http://www.wlkiz.com/resources/ inventors-club info@wlkiz.com Puerto Rico Associacion de Inventores de Puerto Rico Dr. Omar R. Fontanez Canuelas Cond. Segovia Apt. 1005 San Juan, PR 00918 (787) 518-8570 inventorespr.com Puerto Rico Inventors Association PO Box 1081 Saint Just, PR 00978 (787) 760-5074 acuhost@novacomm-inc.com

Tennessee Music City Inventors James Stevens 3813 Dobbin Rd Springfield, TN 37172 (615) 681-6462 inventorsassociation@hotmail.com http://musiccityinventors.com WWW.IAMT.US Mid South Inventors Association Deborah Murdock 1115 Halle Park circle Collierville, TN 38017 (meets in Memphis) (901) 850-7324 murdock@legacytransfers.com Tennessee Inventors Association Igor Alexeff PO Box 11225 Knoxville, TN 37930-1225 (865) 483-0151 ialexeff@comcast.net www.tninventors.org

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Austin Inventors and Entrepreneurs Association Lill O’neall Gentry 12500 Amhearst Austin, TX lillgentry@gmail.com Utah UtahInventors.org David Osborne 8180 s 700 E, Suite 350 Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 748-1939 utahinventor.org Virginia Virginia Inventors Forum Bambi Walters PO Box 5743 Williamsburg, VA 23188 (757) 253-5729 www.virginiainventors.org

Texas Amarillo Inventors Association J. T. Haynes, President 2200 W. 7th Avenue Amarillo, TX 79106 (806) 367-8610 info@amarilloinventors.org www.amarilloinventors.org

Wisconsin Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club of Juneau County Economic Development Corp. Terry Whipple / Sandra Morris PO Box 322, 122 Main Street Camp Douglas, WI 54618 (608) 427-2070 www.iandeclub.com jcedc@mwt.net

Houston Inventors Association Ken Roddy 2916 West TC Jester #100 Houston, TX 77018 (713) 686-7676 kenroddy@nol.net inventors.org

Inventors Network of Wisconsin Jeff Hitzler 1749 Chateau Dr. Green Bay, WI 54304 (920) 429-0331 www.inventors-network.org inventorgb@sbcglobal.net

Alamo Inventors 3463 Magic Drive Suite T-14 San Antonio, Texas 78229 210-582-5835 Alamoinventors.org

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