As parents to five daughters, Jennifer and Gifford Briggs were no strangers to long hair clogging their shower drains. Not only does this pose a drainage issue, but it’s also at the bottom of every household’s to-do list.

Nobody wants to get down on their hands and knees to clean a drain full of soap scum, hair, and dirt. Having a large family, the Briggs grew tired of how slow their drain was. Not only was it slow, but sooty rings were forming in the tub because of the slowly receding water.

A slow drain, coupled with the amount of time it took in between showers (while waiting for the tub to drain) sent the husband and wife on a mission to develop a solution for a problem that plagues many households.

Sure, you could purchase expensive liquids to pour down your drain, but those damage pipes and can wreak havoc on a septic system. A hair trap may seem like the perfect solution, yet you’re still left cleaning out the hair trap – which isn’t much better than having to clean the drain in the first place.

Although there was a wide array of solutions on the market, none met the needs of a family constantly up against this problem; thus, the Drain Wig was born. A long metal string attached to a decorative topper was the perfect solution the Briggs were searching for.

Homeowners simply drop the string down the drain while the topper keeps it from falling down entirely. The unique hooked-chain design catches all of the hair as it goes down the drain, allowing for easy removal when it’s time to clean. The simple, yet effective hair trap is 100% disposable which means you won’t need to touch any of the mess or break out the rubber gloves.

Do you have an idea for a new invention or product? Confidentially submit your idea today!

*Davison had no involvement with the design of the featured product

The post Drain Wig: Clean Drains in Seconds appeared first on Davison.

For the first time, the basic right of an inventor to profit from his invention was recognized by law through the United States Constitution:

“Congress shall have the power… to promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.” – U.S. Constitution Article 1. Section 8.

However, the long history of the patent started before the United States Constitution was adopted. In fact, the first form of the patent was seen in medieval times.

The word patent is derived from the Latin term, ‘litterae patentes,” which means an ‘open letter.’ These open letters were commonly used by medieval monarchs to grant rights and privileges.

Henry VI granted the earliest-known English patent for an invention to John of Utynam in 1449. He was awarded a 20-year monopoly for his method of making stained glass to which he supplied the windows of Eaton College. His method had not been previously known in England. In return, John of Utynam was required to teach his style of work to native Englishmen.

Nowadays, in order to obtain a patent, the invention must be novel or in other words, new.  It also must involve an inventive step or be non-obvious and be capable of industrial application.

There are three types of patents, including utility patents, which are granted to those who invent, discover or make an improvement to any new and useful process, machine, or article of manufacture or composition matter. The second type is the design patents, which are granted to anyone who invents a new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. Lastly, plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents, discovers or reproduces any distinct new variety of plant.

At Davison, we have created a Better Way to Invent that can help inventors and everyday people with their new products, ideas or inventions.

Copyright Davison 2013

The post The History of Patents appeared first on Davison.

Davison is a product development company with designs that have sold in over a 1,000 retail and online stores. Working with Davison gives inventors professional quality services, because of Davison’s more than twenty years of experience designing, engineering, building and testing new inventions. However, even with a great track record of success in transforming ideas into products, there is no guarantee that any particular invention will ever be licensed, sold in stores, or result in financial gain.

New product development is an uncertain endeavor and the typical invention is not licensed, sold on any market, or profitable. In fact, no company can guarantee success; and, if they say they can, you can be certain that their promises are too good to be true.

What Davison does guarantee is a confidential exchange of ideas and information, so that an inventor can rest easy knowing their idea is safe. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome when pursuing your idea is being willing to trust someone with your invention. However, if you want to create a successful product, you will need to share your concept with the skilled and knowledgeable people who can help you navigate the many complex aspects of the invention process. Product idea security and confidentiality are Davison’s top priorities.

Inventors can submit their ideas to the Davison team through a confidentiality agreement, which is a binding contract between you and Davison that states that they will not disclose anything about your invention without your permission. When you submit your idea to Davison, they will guarantee that they will not use, disclose, license or sell your idea without your consent.

Another thing that Davison guarantees is that the Davison design team will work with inventors in every aspect of product development; including product research, design, engineering, prototype construction, and packaging. Davison also identifies appropriate corporations for potential licensing deals, prepares materials and product samples for presentation, negotiates licensing agreements, and manages royalties. Davison has over 250 employees working together in an amazing 110,000 square foot office campus, which includes its inventing factory called Inventionland.

Davison has the skilled professionals and the state-of-the-art equipment that can help you develop your invention into a real product sample, and, they will use all of their experience to give you a truly professional sample and presentation materials.

The post What Guarantees About My Invention Can Davison Make Me? appeared first on Davison.

“You watch too much TV!”

We all grew up hearing authority figures and parents scold us for inactivity. Well, Nigeria is doing something about their entertainment-obsessed youths.

According to a recent article posted on The Guardian online, “Over 75 percent of Nigerian children now spend most of their time watching movies …”

So Lagos – the most populated city in Nigeria at nearly 8 million – partnered with Kids Invent! — the world’s leading provider of innovation-based kids science activities that stimulate the creative interests and abilities of children ages 7 to 15. According to the article, around 300 kids participated in the invention programs, which consisted of a 5-day camp where children were encouraged to invent toys and even price their inventions for the market.

“There is a huge gap in the kids in our country today, but with this trademark program, we can tap into the lives of every innovative and creative children,” Emma Okoro – managing director of the group – told The Guardian.

Co-creator and Group Managing Director of Kids Invent!, Prof. Ed Sobey argues that kids learn best when they are creatively engaged. He noted that Kids Invent! activities are appropriate for schools, after school programs, home schools, summer camps, museums, and wherever kids are eager to experience hands-on, innovative learning.

Kids Invent! was created by Professors Ed Sobey and Timothy M. Stearns, who developed the first Kids Invent! summer camp as an outreach program for California State University in Fresno.

Davison applauds all activities that promote education and get children off the couch and creating! Here’s to hoping that more countries, including the United States, realize the importance of early education in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields.

(Recently, a group of students visited Inventionland as a project aimed to garner interest in STEM. Read about it here.)

The post Nigeria Gets Kids Off the Couch & Inventing appeared first on Davison.

If you don’t patent your product, you never have to make the ingredients public – a simple way to keep your secret recipe under lock and key. But, that doesn’t mean competitors won’t make a run at your throne.

DR. PEPPER

Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too? That won’t be happening for aspiring soda-making rivals anytime soon, because another soft drink with a famously secret formula is Dr. Pepper, which is made from 23 natural and artificial flavors. Only three people are said to be privy to the recipe, which was invented in 1885 by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and is kept locked in a vault in company headquarters in nearby Plano.

The company has gone on the record to deny one common guess at an ingredient: There is no prune juice in Dr Pepper. – Yahoo

Dr. Nos

• Dr. Topper – Clover Valley
• Dr. Riffic – Eckerd Drug
• Dr. Thunder — Dollar General

WD-40

The world’s best known household lubricant got its secret agentesque name in 1953 from its inventor, Norm Larsen, and it stands for “Water Displacer—40th attempt.” An article in The Wall Street Journal reported that the formula is in a bank vault and has only been taken out twice—when changing banks and on the product’s 50th birthday, when CEO Garry Ridge rode on a horse into Times Square while wearing a suit of armor and carrying the formula. He said the company mixes the concentrate in three locations, then distributes it to aerosol manufacturing partners worldwide.

The company reveals what’s not in the secret formula on its FAQ page: WD-40 Multi-Use Product does not contain silicone, kerosene, water, graphite, or chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). – Yahoo

Slick Competitors

• Hosa Cable D5S6 Deoxit Contact Cleaner Spray
• Boeshield T-9 Lubricant
• 3-IN-ONE 10041 Professional Silicone Spray Lubricant

KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)

KFC’s “Secret Recipe of 11 Herbs and Spices” for its original fried chicken recipe is nearly as famous as the former Kentucky Fried Chicken ad slogan “finger lickin’ good.” A section of the company’s website is now devoted to spreading the lore about the spice blend. It states that Colonel Harland Sanders kept his recipe in his mind and used to carry the mixture in his car, but today it’s kept under lock and key in a Louisville, Ky., safe. One company blends part of the spice recipe, and another company mixes the rest, so that neither party has the entire recipe. The Colonel commented how low-security of an operation he and his wife, Claudia, ran when he was starting out. “After I hit the road selling franchises for my chicken, that left Claudia behind to fill the orders for the seasoned flour mix. She’d fill the day’s orders in little paper sacks with cellophane linings and package them for shipment. Then, she had to put them on a midnight train.”

Many reverse-engineered recipes for KFC-style fried chicken include speculation that the flavor-enhancing additive MSG is part of the secret mix. Others claim the distinctive KFC chicken experience owes a lot to the pressure-frying technique, which is patented. — Yahoo

KFC’s Wingmen

• Church’s Chicken
• Popeye’s Chicken
• Kennedy Fried Chicken

It takes something special to stand out from the crowd. That’s why Davison has spent over 20 years perfecting the Davison Inventing Method – a better way to help clients develop their ideas.

The post Secrets To Their Successes appeared first on Davison.

Fast, Fresh Food

Ordering pizza has never been so fresh. The Pizza Keeper keeps your leftover pizza fresh and ready to reheat, so you have much more time to concentrate on the things you need to do. Pizza Keeper is a neat, convenient way to store leftover pizza compactly in the refrigerator. The air-tight container has a second tier and a separator, so one unit can hold four large slices of pizza neatly and easily. The product also can be used to microwave all the slices at once, making reheating as easy as three, two, one, beep.

Study Storage

Despite the pervasiveness of electronic media, highlighters, pencils and pens will be part of college life as long as you’re paying $200 a pop for that Intro to Philosophy text book. Save time by keeping your study accessories organized with Davison’s Magna Jars. Davison’s team of designers created a small jar that has a magnetic lid and can hold up to a pound of pens, highlighters and various other study materials. The powerful one-way magnet embedded in the jar lid makes it easy to attach the set of four jars to metal cabinetry and other metal objects.

Rooting Rack

You don’t need to mess around when it’s time to suit up and root for the alma mater, and with college teams spanning sports from chess team to NCAA football, you are going to need a variety of hats. Davison will help you keep those hats organized. Cap Racks mount to most doors and walls and are perfect for organizing, storing and protecting hats, as well as belts and bags.

Pamper Products

At school, you’re on your feet a lot. Between hustling to class and squeezing in that lunch-hour Zumba class, your feet and knees take a beating. Pamper yourself during your downtime with the TheraPED, a wearable product that offers moist heat as well as cooling therapy to soothe sore feet and toes. Or, soothe your knee pain with the Hot/Cold Therapy Brace.

Transitioning from summer vacations to midterm cram sessions can be a difficult task. Let these Davison products make the transition a little smoother.

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

The post Back to School: Products to Simplify Your Studies appeared first on Davison.