AbsolutelyNew Blog

Patent Models

Getting a patent has never been easy, but here's one way it used to be even more challenging...

Shortly after the birth of the United States, the Patent Act of 1790 required inventors applying for a U.S. patent to submit a model of the their invention to help inspectors understand the design. Over 200,000 models were submitted during the following 90 years. But after two fires and a shortage of storage space, the model requirement was abolished in 1880.

Fortunately, a few thousand of those models have been preserved over the years, in a private collection, and about 30 of them will be featured in the Smithsonian next month. They include a paper-bag-making machine (shown below), a horse-shoe-making machine, and--you guessed it--a better mousetrap. If you visit the exhibit, please tell us what you think of it.

Former Head of USPTO joins AbsolutelyNew's Advisory Board

Jon Dudas' distinguished career includes significant contributions to the field of Intellectual Property on behalf of inventors. From 2004-2009, Jon served as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He was appointed to this position by the President of the United States.

As Director of the USPTO, Jon was responsible for administering the laws and regulations related to granting patents and trademarks, and the day-to-day management of the agency's $1.7 billion budget and over 8,000 employees. Previously, as Staff Director and Deputy General Counsel for the House Committee on the Judiciary, he guided enactment of major patent, trademark and copyright policy, including the last major legislation regarding U.S. intellectual property, the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999.

In June of 2010, Jon became President of FIRST, a not-for-profit organization (founded by prolific inventor Dean Kamen), that inspires students and professionals in engineering and technology fields, with the long-term aim of increasing the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy.

You’re not too young to start thinking about innovation

With so many people trying to find solutions to the fix the oil leak in the Gulf, you can now add elementary-school children. In this particular video, two grade-school children present an idea for how to stop the leak---proof that thinking about innovation and finding ways to solve problems can begin at almost any age!

Inventor of Athletic Tape helps Vancouver Olympians win gold.

Olympic Skiers, Hockey Players and Skaters have all been using Kinesio Tex Tape to help relieve pain and promote healing of injured muscles.  Olympic Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn used the athletic tape to help recover from a shin injury that almost prevented her from racing in the Olympics.  The athletic tape is the invention of Dr. Kenzo Kase, a chiropractor who was looking for a better sports taping method to assist in the healing of traumatized tissue.  Kase found that standard taping techniques, such as athletic taping and strapping, provided muscle and joint support, but also reduced range of motion and in many cases inhibited the actual healing process of traumatized tissue.  The new and improved athletic tape that Kase developed is able to aid the lymphatic and muscle systems, while simultaneously supporting joints and muscles.

 

Kinesio Taping has become one of the fastest growing sport treatment modalities in the world.  It is an official medical supplier for the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding Association and the product is on the international spotlight in Vancouver. 

 

 Do you have a sports-related invention that could help athletes enhance their form, train more efficiently or recover from injuries?  Perhaps it could help you win too…

CA leads the way in patents

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has published its 2009 “Performance and Accountability Report.” And among the findings, we see that California led the way when it comes the number of residents (including resident companies) issued patents in 2009. We’ll refrain from saying Californians are the most inventive.

Can you guess which states make the rest of the Top 10? They’re not just big states. Scroll down to see the list.

Go down a little more... since we didn't want you to see until you want to see the list

1. California (22,973)

2. Texas (6,417)

3. New York (6,217)

4. Washington (4,632)

5. Massachusetts (3,880)

6. Illinois (3,567)

7. Michigan (3,525)

8. New Jersey (3,273)

9. Pennsylvania (3,020)

10. Ohio (2,989)… just edging out snowy Minnesota (2,902)

Click here to read the full report, including details on the USPTO’s budget, key challenges, and goals for the year ahead.

Cool new “breakout” ideas

Forbes magazine recently featured 10 “breakout” inventions and ideas of note. We thought the list is so cool we just had to share it. Click here for its full coverage including an online slideshow and videos.

A few highlights to whet your appetite:

1. Moobella ice cream vending machines that mix, freeze and scoop out 96 on-demand flavors in about 45 seconds, at an operating cost of just $400 per month plus ingredients costs.

2. Activeion spray bottles that add an electrical charge to water as its sprayed, which separates the molecules such that the water bubbles lift dirt and bacteria from a surface, for a one-time retail cost of $169 per $12-oz bottle.

3. IdeaPaint paint that makes any wall into a dry-erase whiteboard. This paint isn’t cheap—it apparently sells for about $4.00 per square foot of coverage—but think of all the additional ideas you can come up with when the world is your drawing board.

What’s your story?

We recently read an engaging column by Scott Berkun, a self-described “professional speaker” and author of The Myths of Innovation. Of particular note, Scott said having a good explanation or “story” for your invention idea is just as important as having a great invention idea. His core point:

“From my studies of innovation history, I know that the difference between relatively uncommon names like Tesla, Grey and Englebart, and household ones like Edison, Bell and Jobs, has more to do with their ability to persuade, convince and inspire than their ability to invent, create or innovate. One potent thread in the fabric of reasons why some ideas take off and others don't is the ability entrepreneurs have to explain to others why they should care. The bigger the idea, the more explaining the world demands.”

Scott says it’s absolutely critical to get your idea down to a message that’s clear and compelling, and to practice pitching it until you’re a pro at presenting it.

Are you doing this? If not, remember it’s not too late to start.

The Golden Age for Inventors?

An article published today on CNN.com asks if the ‘golden age for inventors’ is at hand?  While no one can predict the future, especially in this economy, several industry experts believe good news is on the way for many inventors.  If you are interested in launching your invention in what some promise will be a “golden age,” here are a few tips from experts about being a successful inventor:

Take action. One of the most important steps is simply to act, says Todd Greene, inventor of the HeadBlade.  "I know some people who are perfectionists. They never get their company off of the ground because they're not happy with what they have and they're afraid to go to the next phase."

Don’t try to do everything alone, accept your limitations.  "You have to be able to say, 'What are the skills that I lack and what's the experience I don't have, and how can I find somebody that can complement those skills?'" says Andrea Belz, a management consultant who specializes in technology commercialization for companies.

Know how to market your ideas or get the attention of a larger company.  "Just because your product is amazing and life-changing doesn't mean that people are going to hear it," invention expert Alan Tratner says. "The hard part isn't coming up with an idea. The hard part is taking it to the market."

To see the full article from CNN visit http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/12/invent/index.html

RIP inventor Robert Rines

We wanted to pay brief tribute to an inventor you’ve likely never heard of: Robert Harvey Rines of Boston, who died last week at the age of 87.

Perhaps known best for his outlandish pursuits of the Loch Ness monster—not that people would have knocked him had his inventive Nessie perfume actually attracted the mythical creature—Rines is one of those day-in, day-out tinkerers & toilers who profoundly impacted many of us by way of his 800+ patents and other actions in support of invention. Among the reasons we pause to reflect, he:

• Developed electronic gear that improved the resolution of radar and sonar, which in turn has been used in everything from ultrasounds to Patriot missiles to finding the Titanic wreck
  
• Furthered innovation as a patent examiner in the 1940s and later as a member of the Department of Commerce’s Technical Advisory Board
  
• Founded the Franklin Pierce Law Center to train law students on intellectual property law
  
• Helped the Taiwanese and later Chinese governments establish initial patent review processes where there had previously been none
  
• Provided experienced-based input and insight to Congress when it re-wrote patent laws in 2000
  

So RIP Robert Rines. We appreciate your passion, your commitment, your contributions, and yes, your quirkiness too. You did Nessie proud... even if your trained dolphins with cameras never caught the creature on film.

Frame your invention wisely

Invention is all about change. But presenting people with too much change can confuse or deter them. So as you work to advance your innovation, do yourself a favor and take the time to frame it for success. What do we mean? Here are a few examples:

1. Automobiles. Early autos were so far-out that few people saw the benefits in them. Then the people making them started to build them in carriage-like shapes and someone coined the phrase “horseless carriage”… and suddenly these vehicles made sense for the masses—now the newfangled machines were a must-have evolution of the horse-drawn buggy.

2. Estate taxes. Years ago, most Americans supported these taxes born largely by affluent voters. This didn’t sit well with the Republican party. So the GOP initiated a campaign to change public opinion. It’s #1 tactic: Republicans started to consistently speak of estate taxes as “death taxes,” and in doing so created a groundswell of concern that every American family could be taxed upon a family member’s death. That new framing changed public opinion ever since.

3. Microsoft Bing. The folks in Redmond recently launched Bing with hopes to steal some of Google’s thunder... and revenue. You’ve likely seen the Bing TV ads. Interestingly, Microsoft is calling its service a “decision engine” not a “search engine,” very intentionally framing it as smarter when it comes to finding precisely what you need. Only time will tell if Bing is Microsoft’s next Xbox (a big success) or Zune (so far, quite the bust), but we appreciate the careful word choice.

So, are you choosing your words carefully too, framing your invention in a way that takes into consideration consumer sentiments, competitive products, and retailers needs? It’s not too late to start doing so.