Inventions and Patents Article Index

How I Raised the Money for My Invention – A Selective Asparagus Harvesting Machine
I’ve raised money for this machine twice, once back in about 1974 and then again over the last four years or so.  Let’s begin back in the early 70s, when I first started the project.

Online Tools Make Inventing Easy!
I’ve been an inventor for over 35 years, and I still can’t believe how easy the internet is making it to become a successful inventor. The tools and resources one can find on the internet are mind blowing.
 

The Invention of the Television
In 1884 a man by the name of Paul Nipkow developed a rotating-disc technology that could send pictures over wire. This was the very first electromechanical television picture scanning system.

The Invention of the Radio
The invention of the radio not only involved a number of inventors, engineers, and even companies, but it also was developed about the same time and was somewhat intertwined with the development of the telegraph and the telephone.

Who Invented the Electric Water Heater?
Edwin Ruud a Norwegian mechanical engineer, who immigrated to Pittsburg, is the one who invented the electric water heater  in 1889

The Latest Scientific Inventions – How They Impact Our Lives
Among the latest scientific inventions of great importance to us in our daily lives are devices known as MEMS. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is the technology of the very small.

Microcontrollers -- What They Are and How They Work
With a microcontroller, you have one specific task you are trying to accomplish, and low-cost, low-power performance is what is important.

Printed Circuit Boards – Build Your Own PCBs Online
After completing your board you can get an instant quote with either a 3 day turnaround or a 10 day turnaround.  The 10 day turnaround is less expensive of course.

Future Inventions & Technology - What's Ahead?
There are several areas where I believe there will be significant future inventions that will dramatically affect our lives, just as the current inventions are doing now. 

Famous Women Inventors - A Few Historic Female Inventors
A brief look at a few of history's more important and or famous women inventors and what they invented.

Famous Female Inventors - A Few Historic Women Inventors
A brief look at a few of history's more fascinating women inventors and what they have accomplished.

Invention History Timeline - From the Wheel to the 1800s
An invention history timeline beginning with the Sumerians invention of the wheel and proceeding to 1800

Invention Technology History Timeline - From 1800 to 1900
An invention technology history timeline from 1800 to 1900.

Invention Timeline - From 1900 to 1925
An invention history timeline from 1900 to 1925.

Invention History Timeline - From 1925 to 1950
An invention history timeline from 1925 to 1950.

Invention History Timeline - From 1950 to Viagra (1975)
An invention history timeline from 1950 to 1998.

Computer History Full Timeline - From BC to 2000
A complete full history timeline of the evolution of the computer from the time of the astrolabe until 2000.

Latest Technological Inventions - Futuristic Inventions Revealed
Futuristic new inventions include x-ray vision devices, invisibility cloaking, and clothing that will give you a charge.

Latest Scientific Inventions - Cool New Research
Cool new inventions include self cleaning clothing, Gecko type adhesives, and wirelessly controlled flying beetles.

Metlund D’MAND system – An Invention Success Story
The story of the Metlund hot water d'mand system - From the Eureka moment to the birth of a better system.

Self-Lowering Toilet Seat -- Interesting invention Idea -- Would it Sell?
If you do a little patent research you will find that toilets and toilet seats are a popular thing to invent.

New Military Inventions - Non Lethal Weapons
These new non-lethal military weapons may save countless lives in the future if they work as described.

Getting a New Patent -  A New Hot Water Demand System Patent
The process of our getting a new patent in real time...

Simple Machine Inventions - New Invention Idea
Simple machine inventions sound great but let’s have an example! 

Invention Ideas Listed - Wake Up Your Creativity
Great ideas for inventions to help spur your creativity.

Inventors Notes – Switching Electronic Air Pressure Regulation
Regulating air pressure with a two way valve instead of a mechanical pressure regulator is ideal for selective asparagus harvester invention.

Cool New Invention - No Waste Reverse Osmosis - A Clever Idea!
The Watts website claims their patented ZRO-4 Reverse Osmosis System is the first ever that does not waste water. 

How to Patent an Invention – Protecting My Invention Idea
It’s certainly possible to file your own patent application and patent an invention on your own, and it would save you a ton of money.

Good at Solving Problems? You Might Make a Great Inventor!
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and I certainly agree.  The word “necessity” implies that you need something you don’t have. Ahh… a problem to be solved!

Using Microcontrollers to Control Simple Machine Inventions
Even simple inventions often require some sort of control system. It may be that a simple machine invention you have come up with requires several actions to perform its intended function.

Should I Patent My Great New Invention Idea?  Where Do I Start?
Another approach would be to first find out if it is patentable or even if it has been patented by someone else already... a fairly frequent occurrence.  90% of all new inventions granted patents never make it to the marketplace for one reason or another.

Will My Invention Succeed In The Marketplace?- How to Find Out!  Will my invention be successful in the market place? That is a question every inventor should ask and answer before expending time and money on that great new idea. Over 90% of all patented new inventions never make it to the marketplace.

The Three Types of Patents, Utility, Design, and Plant Utility patents may be granted to any inventor who invents any new and useful process, article of manufacture, machine, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement.

Doing an Online Patent Search for My New Invention  I’m offering my new invention for sale online as of a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t filed for any patent protection. I have less than a year to file for a patent or to give up my patent rights to the invention.

My Patent Application – Will It Pass the Novelty and Non-obviousness Tests? I’ve introduced my invention, a selective asparagus harvester, to the public by putting it up on a website,  Having disclosed the invention to the public starts a one year clock ticking upon which a patent, real or provisional, must be filed to retain the patent rights.

In Relation to Patents and Inventions, What Is Prior Art? According to the US patent laws, “prior art” means the state of knowledge existing or publicly available either before the date of your invention or more than one year prior to your earliest patent application date.

Patents – The Basics and Some Common Questions Answered US Patents are grants from the US government that confer upon inventors the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, importing, or offering an invention for sale for approximately 17 years, 20 years from the date of filing of the patent.

What Is a Patent, How Long Does a Patent Last and How to Read a Patent is an overview of what a patent is, what it can do for you, how long a patent lasts, and takes a brief look at the main elements of a patent, how to read a patent, and how to get a U.S. patent.

What are patent claims? Claims are used to determine if an invention is patentable over the existing prior art, and recite the bounds or scope of an invention.  The patent specification shows how to build or make and use the invention and the claims define its scope.

Filing A Provisional Patent Application For My New Thread Locking Invention Idea I've come up with a really neat new thread locking method that I think is patentable, but I am far from sure. I've searched online through the USPTO and Google Patents, but haven't seen anything at all that would make my new idea "obvious" in the eyes of a patent examiner.

DYI – How to Test a Prototype Air Cylinder for a New Invention
My asparagus harvester invention uses high speed air cylinders to cut the spears of asparagus.  We’ve spent a number of years perfecting the cylinders, and I think we finally have a cylinder that will perform up to my expectations.

Electrical System Design Considerations - Model 2010 Selective Asparagus Harvester
Some of the thinking behind the design of the electrical and electronic systems for the experimental asparagus harvester I am developing.

Designing the Control Circuitry for the Geiger Lund Selective Asparagus Harvester  Brief overview of the designing of the master control circuit board for the selective asparagus harvester using a 16F627 Microchip PIC microcontroller and a handful of parts. 

Updating the Design for the Control Circuitry on the Selective Asparagus Harvester
In a previous article I described how I designed the circuitry to control functions of the asparagus harvester.  After bread boarding up a test circuit and doing some initial programming I decided a re-do was in order. 

Programming the Microchip PIC microcontroller chips for my machine controller project
A couple of years ago I picked up a USB programmer and a copy of Picbasic Pro software for programming the chips in BASIC language instead of Assembly code, which is a bit more difficult in my opinion.

Game board unit - Patent No. 3,967,824
Asparagus Harvester Patent No. 4512145
Tractor Feed Paper Separator - Patent Number 4,940,347
Accelerated hot water delivery system- Patent Number 4,945,942
Demand Recovery Hot Water System Patent Number 5042524
Paper Separator - Continuation In Part - Patent No. 5,120,144
Quick Shot Dispensing system Patent No. 5273190
Hot water demand system suitable for retrofit - Patent Number 5,277,219
Method for sealing cable conduits - Patent No. 5,304,396
Hot water demand appliance and system Patent No 5385168
Hydrothermal stabilizer and expansion tank system - Patent Number 5,584,316
Hydrothermal stabilizer - Patent Number 5,586,572

Design Patents:

Paper trimmer - Design Pat. # D326277
Card Clip Toy - Design Patent No. D286555