"How about Smoke Detectors in the forest? These detectors could be located at strategic locations and could communicate wirelessly to a central computer in a fire tower or command center. Think of these detectors located on trees or other structures at various points in the grid of a forested area. This central computer could also have input on current wind speed and direction. From the input of smoke activated detectors and other data, the location of a fire could be pinpointed accurately and quickly. Using this concept, forest fires could be detected much sooner, thus saving lives and property. These detectors would not need to have an audible sound, though they could. In addition, the detectors could be solar or wind powered. A fail-safe loss of normal signal could signal that a detector was inoperative and a repair order could be issued. The central computer could do a computer analysis of the fire situation, projected path, and recommended course of fire fighting action." Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for smoke detectors, gas-sampling systems, enclosures like birdhouses, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas – 340/628, 340/518
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"There are electric staplers that of course staple. There are also wafer seals for closing mail items - similar to the tape used to seal the top of this newsletter. How about an electric "stapler" that would automatically apply a strip of tape to a mail item. You would only need to insert the mail piece into this electric tape stapler and it would automatically apply one or more tape strips to the mail edges to seal. No more manually having to peel off wafer strips or manually have to apply tape strips. This might be particularly helpful for sealing newsletters ready for mailing.Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for electric staplers, automatic tape dispensers, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas – 227/131, 227/120, 156/577
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"How about an emergency box that sits on the floor where a dog could press the button and summon help? This could be especially helpful for handicapped or elderly people with a specially trained dog. Maybe the box could have three large buttons - FIRE, POLICE, and AMBULANCE that would connect to 911 emergency telephone numbers or Internet connection. The 911 operators could affirm the emergency by background sounds - dog barking and pressing same button consistently. This concept would also work when the home occupants were not home and an emergency developed.In addition to perhaps being an opportunity for a new device, this concept could open up a new service of training animals to use this new device. There are pushbutton devices for people to use in summoning help but none for animals. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for automatic telephone dialers, door bells/pushbuttons, large number telephones, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas – 379/37, 446/142
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How about a strobe light on the top of emergency vehicles to signal drivers from a distance? It seems like the strobe could be as high as a semi-truck and still be able to get under traffic signals, bridges, etc. Currently, emergency vehicles rely on lights on the vehicle body but no lights tower over traffic to warn drivers at a distance. Think of an ambulance trying to weave through a snarl of rush hour traffic, where drivers can only see the cars around them. Could be used for ambulances, police, pizza delivery drivers, etc. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for CB antenna with top light and bumper mount, telescoping flag poles, tower lights, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas – 340/917, D10/114, 362/35
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"How about smoke detectors that could give a personalized message of what to do when there is a fire or other emergency? The user of this device would record ahead of time what the escape plan is, and then this smoke detector would repeat this message when the emergency occurred. Example - "Fire! Go down the south stairs and meet under the maple tree."In advanced versions, the message could be updated for current conditions. For example, if one stairwell was blocked, this new device could change the message to go down another exit. This might be particularly helpful in industrial or office settings.Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for pre-recorded announcements on answering machines, plant wide fire detection systems adapted for home use, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas – 340/628, 340/693.8, 379/43
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How about a lubricated farming plow to save tractor fuel? This could be achieved by a regular plow or disc with holes to extrude a lubricant. The lubricant could be water, lubricating fluids, biodegradable oils, maybe even air, etc. Perhaps a good lubricant for this might be extruding used animal fat from food preparation. Currently, this is a waste product and just hauled away from restaurants, food processors, etc. Now, this fat sludge could have another use - make the plow slide through the ground easier, plus add fertilizing nutrients. There are currently farming discs that have liquid manure nozzles attached. This concept puts down the "groundwork" for this new plow concept. The plow construction could be similar to those today, except for a hollow core for the lubricant and holes in the plow walls for the lubricant to exude. Flow control valves could control the amount of lubricant going out the plow face. The farmer could control the amount of lubricant depending on the soil conditions. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing apparatus for farm plows, farm discs, liquid manure spreading, air hockey, industrial processes using lubricated folding boards, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses to look - 172/755; 239/662; 172/219
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Think about how hard it is for one person to dock a boat in a boat landing. Now, think now how easy it is for a person to change channels on a TV with a remote control. How about a remote controlled motor for docking a boat? The person could be on land and maneuver the boat ready for putting on the boat trailer. The motor for this could be the trolling motor that was previously used for fishing, now remotely controlled by a TV remote-like device. This might be particularly helpful for older or disabled boaters. The person could boat into the docking area, tie up, and go get the car and trailer, then remotely control the boat onto the trailer. Possible Start Building Blocks - - Existing concepts for remote controlled train switching engine, auxiliary bridge on boat, airplane docking, TV remote controls, remote controlled model boats, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for more ideas - 114/255, 43/26.1
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How about a grass clipping compactor? This could be attached to a lawnmower or a separate unit. If on a mower, the clippings bag would not have to be emptied as often. The mower could power this attachment or be linked to a separate unit via a power take off PTO shaft. Taking this one step further, if on a mower, the clippings could be baled with a carrying handle and sent out the back, just like a farm baler. After cutting the grass, the mower operator could just pile the "grass bricks" for trash pickup. Springboarding off these ideas, how about making "grass bricks" for use in house construction or home heating? There now exist houses made of "straw bales" having superior insulating qualities. Maybe the "grass bricks" would be easier to handle. In addition, the grass cut along the side of the roads could be recycled into "building bricks". For heat, there are some parts of the world that use manure bricks for heat, so using this concept, maybe use "dried grass bricks" for heat. In all these grass options, one should make sure the grass does not have the possibility of spontaneous combustion. Again, using existing knowledge of hay baling would help in this area too.Possible Start Building Blocks - - Existing garbage compactors, farm balers, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "how-to" ideas - 56/16; 56/202; 56/13
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How about an umbrella insurance policy for an entire family’s functions – instead of separate policies for car, home, boat, business, etc. This concept is similar again to computer multi-tasking. The home or business would select a maximum umbrella amount. Then, based on the items to insure and their risk of loss – the insurance agent would then figure a price. Less paperwork and one bill to pay.Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for existing umbrella insurance policies, mergers, consolidations, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas – 705/4
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How about a Tree Integrity Tester? This could be microwave or ultrasonic device to check the moisture within the tree trunk. In addition, there could be a core-sampling drill to check the tree sap chemistry. This tester could have photocell or vision sensors to check on the chlorophyll content of the leaves. There could be soil and air sensors to detect ambient growing conditions, as well as an input keyboard for comments by the testing person. There could have be a database of good readings for healthy trees of this species. There could be an Internet access to current information and current tree diseases. A small scanner could upload to a main computer. This main computer could be located in the car or truck. This main computer could be used for long term tracking of tree/forest conditions. As an insurance evaluation tool, this device could evaluate the tree integrity and the likelihood of blowing over in a high wind. This device could, however, be a simple as a moisture tester for Christmas trees. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for lumber moisture testers, mining core samplers, maple tree sap access ports, paint color matchers, ultrasonic medical testing, home inspection testers, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas - 702/36, 324/640, 324/687, 382/141
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How about a flashlight with multiple peripheral lights, in addition to a central light? These peripheral lights would be aimed at different angles and would fire at intervals. The human brain "persistence of vision" would piece these bits of visual information together to give a concept of what is going on in a large area, without having to wave a regular flashlight around. Think of this device of particular help to nightwalkers, security guards, or the like. The peripheral lights could instead be a strobe light. The user could still use the central light of the flashlight in a normal manner to look at specific object. To test this concept, maybe take a regular flashlight and tape onto it a slow strobing camera flash. This concept could also be used in automobile and other vehicle headlight systems to illuminate the side of the road, as well as directly in front of the vehicle, as usual. Think of driving down the road and getting a full picture of what is going around you, in addition to what is straight ahead. It would be helpful to illuminate the side of the road, at least, looking for crossing animals or people. Maybe this would be helpful especially now with the time change and joggers alongside the road. Of course, safety prevails and the strobes would need to be turned off with oncoming traffic, similar to changing from high to low beams now. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for camera flash, flashlight, led lights, Christmas light sequencer, emergency vehicle strobe lights and headlight flashers, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas - 362/192, 362/191, 362/259, 362/184, 362/518
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How about having an electromagnetic recharging mat where you place your rechargeable tools and they would recharge on the mat - instead of in the charging cradle? For starters - There are many rechargeable tools, each with their own recharger. Also, there are now more and more recharging mats out - for headphones, batteries, laptops, etc. How about combining these existing devices. The new concept could use induction between the mat and the tools to recharge. In a work situation, the worker would use the cordless tools then return them to the mat for recharging - no holders or no special recharging holders for each tool. The whole workbench could be a charging surface too. Essentially, there would be one mat for all the cordless tools, instead of individual chargers. There could be adapters for existing cordless tools to make them work with this new charging mat. This recharging mat could provide a low level electromagnetic field - enough to trickle charge yet not enough to warm metal objects substantially. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for cordless tools, electric toothbrushes, induction heating, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas - 320/108, 320/110, 320/115
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There are flashing headlights on trains now a days but there does not seem to be a train strobe headlight to attract the most attention. In addition, one flashing light could be pointed upward so that drivers could see the train coming at a longer distance. This upward pointing flasher would illuminate the air/smoke above the train similar to those skylights highlighting a new store opening. The result would be a column of light above the train that could be seen a long distance above surrounding objects. In addition, the traffic crossing signals could have a right angle mirror to catch this flashing headlight and reflect it to drivers approaching the intersecting train track. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for emergency vehicle lights, aircraft searching lights, flashlights, camera flashes, strobe scopes, see-around-corner mirrors, prisms, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas - 362/459, 362/528, 246/474
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There are powered bilge pumps for boats but do not seem to be a passive bilge pump that requires no external power - only forward motion of the boat. Think of a long hose or tube with one end on the bottom of the boat and the other end is hanging outside the boat. As the boat moves through the water, the moving water over the end of the tube would suck the water from the bottom out of the boat. A one-way valve would only allow the water to be sucked out and not into the boat. This concept is similar to smoke being sucked out of an open car window, when the car is moving. Possible Start Building Blocks – - Existing concepts for carburetor venturi, airplane wing lift, vehicle air flow analysis, siphons, snorkels, vacuum cleaners, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas - 114/183A, 114/183R, 114/197
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Did you ever notice how rural homes have their Christmas lights going all the time on the outside of their houses, even when no cars are passing by? Maybe have a photo eye near the road to turn on the Christmas lights when a car approaches the house and turn the lights off some time after the car has passed. This would save electricity. Think of a car going down the road - When the car driver is about a quarter mile from your house, your decoration lights would go on and stay on as long as the driver is nearby. After this car passes, the lights would go off until the next driver approaches. Possible Start Building Blocks - - Existing concepts for humorous motion-activated fish or deer, motion-activated outdoor lighting, etc.
- USPTO Class/Subclasses for "How-To" ideas - 362/123, 315/185S, 362/276
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