New Patent Law Lets Ideas Flow for Inventors Faster Process Helps Get Products Out

Neleski, Pat, The Florida Times Union

Byline: Pat Neleski, Times-Union correspondent

BRUNSWICK -- Four local inventors aren't out to change the world -- just make it better.

Together the four have patented, manufactured and are selling such products as the Trash Can Buddy, Mail Alert, The Lug Master, Hair Bear and the King Tong One Big Griller.

David Grimes wanted to keep his trash can from blowing over in the wind, and to save people a trip when checking their mail. Jonathan Smith knew how hard it was to loosen lug nuts when changing flat tires.

Carl Langford liked the stuffed animal his son had tied around his mother's hair and Don Gaughf turned a bad joke into a marketable product.

"I joked with my son, 'Bad pun makes big bucks,' " Gaughf said.

Those ideas, though, didn't spring fully formed onto store shelves. In the words of Thomas Edison, it was 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration.

"People say if you build a better mousetrap, they will beat a path to your door," said …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: New Patent Law Lets Ideas Flow for Inventors Faster Process Helps Get Products Out. Contributors: Neleski, Pat - Author. Newspaper title: The Florida Times Union. Publication date: October 27, 2001. Page number: Not available. © 2007 The Florida Times-Union. COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group.

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