Innovators' Resource NetworkPromoting Innovation, Enterprise, and Invention |
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Center at STCC
Networking at 6:30, Speaker at 7:00 Meeting: Wednesday, December 1, 2004 Mary Cruickshank, General Manager at
Easthampton-based Box of Golf®, is the speaker at the December 1 meeting of the
Innovators’ Resource Network. Founded in 2002, Box of Golf®, is having a banner
year gaining accolades for its Classic Golf Board Game. Golf Digest (1,550,000
circulation) has listed Box of Golf as ‘gotta have’ equipment in their 2004
Holiday Gift Guide. The Basic version of Box of Golf® was named 2004 Toy of the
Year in the Classic toy category by Creative Child Magazine; the Enhanced
version of Box of Golf® was awarded the Seal of Approval by the PGA Tour
Partners and Box of Golf® was named Best of Show at the 2004 PGA Merchandise
Show by Mid-South Golfer Magazine. And, at the 2004 Toy & Game Inventor’s Forum,
Box of Golf® won the Inventor’s Contest. Meeting: Wednesday, October 6, 2004 Michael A. Blake, registered patent attorney, will be speaking on the U.S. patent process, including procedures and pitfalls. His talk will cover provisional, utility and design patents, Festo problems, and advantages and disadvantages of specific claim language. Michael A. Blake* has been registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since 1997; and was admitted to the California bar in 1998. Michael graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1989. He received his law degree from the University of Texas in 1996. Prior to attending law school, Michael was employed for four years as a mechanical engineer at Bently Nevada Corporation, now a GE Power Systems business. Michael is experienced in obtaining patent protection for a variety of technical areas, including semiconductors, automobile systems, turbine and pump systems, drilling systems, and computer systems. Michael is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association; the State Bar of California; the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME); the National Association of Patent Practitioners (NAPP); the Greater Hartford Jaycees; and the Innovators' Resource Network (IRN). Meeting: Wednesday, August 4, 2004 For Maine inventor
Barrie-Lee Johnson, the decision to become an inventor came after a spirited
discussion about making a good cup of coffee on a camping trip. Although she
started with little idea about what would be involved in solving the problem,
developing prototypes, producing, and bringing the product to market, Barrie-Lee
has sold more than 250,000 of her Cup.pour.ri™ single cup portable coffee/tea
makers herself. She has since patented a product for horse jumping, another
passion in her life. Meeting: Wednesday, June 2, 2004 We are Runabout Cycles, a new electric tricycle company. We design and Meeting: Wednesday, April 7, 2004 The April meeting provides an opportunity to learn about various techniques used in creating prototypes and to then learn about the development of molds and manufacturing processes used in product production. Speakers Mike Keenan and Kevin Dyer will use samples of rapid prototypes made with SLA, SLS, FDM, Objet and other methods. Also covered will be prototype molds and short runs to produce a limited quantity of product for test markets. After their presentations, there will be ample time for questions. G&F Industries, Inc. is an ISO9000 certified contract manufacturer specializing in plastic injection molding, decorating, assembly and joining. In business for over 40 years, G&F has broad experience in servicing a wide range of industries including firearms, medical, industrial, consumer, cutlery, automotive and safety. InterPRO provides rapid prototypes, models and patterns to designers, engineers, and artists and to the medical community. They offer rapid turnaround on high quality rapid prototypes, as well as cast urethane prototypes, cast metal prototypes, machined metal and plastic prototypes and professionally painted photo-ready models. Meeting: Wednesday, February 4, 2004 A panel of experts will speak at the February 4th meeting of the Innovators’ Resource Network about their experiences pricing products in various industries. Panelists will talk about the first time they priced a product, how they approach product pricing now, and lessons learned along the way. Differences in various industries, the importance of knowing the competition and the sales path for the product, as well as who the true customer for the product is , will also be addressed. Panelists at this time include Bob Cann, Milla Corporation; Rick Ricard, Larien Products, and Dave Cormier, Angel Guard Products. The panel presentation will be informal and there will be lots of opportunity for questions. Meeting: Wednesday, December 7, 2003 Jamie Page will talk about his life and times as an inventor and entrepreneur. Page earned national attention when he developed Crosskates, an all-terrain skate, which steers and turns much like downhill snow skiing. The skate allows users to climb uphill without sliding backward and disc brakes on both rear tires ensure stopping power. A low center of gravity and the extra-long length of each skate provide stability. A 1989 Belchertown, MA High School graduate, Page earned engineering degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. In 1995, he started Underground Design, a Silicon Valley-based product-development firm, which he ran from 1995 to 1998. There, Page and his team focused on designing medical devices, toys, and sporting goods. In 1997, Page conceived his idea for the crosskate. Page started developing his concept at Underground Design, but moved back east to work full time building a business based on his invention. In 1999 he took second place in MIT's annual $50K Entrepreneurship Competition. The award carried a $10,000 prize and networking opportunities. In 2002 and 2001, he developed his company, which went on to capture national media attention. He has since sold Crosskates to a Marblehead-based company and has founded Page Product Design, based in Florence. Meeting: Wednesday, October 1, 2003 The Wednesday, October 1, 2003 meeting of the Innovators’ Resource Network features members of the Mechatronic Maniacs from West Springfield High School. The Maniacs are a team of students competing in the FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition. The 2003 competition had 20,000 students participating in over 800 teams in 24 competitions. Three members of the Maniacs will demonstrate the robot they developed for the 2003 competition challenge and talk about their experiences. Team mentors will also attend. FIRST teams work with engineers, teachers, mentors and sponsors to bring their robots to life. Students spend the fall months doing fundraising (they need to raise almost twenty thousand dollars), team building, and organizational activities. In January, the year’s game is unveiled and a box of components to be used in construction of the robot is shipped to each team. Once the six week construction phase is over, the robots are shipped to regional competitions held in March and April. The regional winners move on to the national championship. Meeting: Wednesday, August 6, 2003 David will speak about the test marketing of a new product currently in Wal-Mart stores that he was involved with developing with Jim Mazzaferro called the YardScape Trash Barrel which was presented at a members-only meeting last March and is now in production.
Meeting: Wednesday, June 4, 2003
Meeting: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 William Cumpiano makes fine instruments that reflect his love of music and respect for professional musicians. His mother encouraged him to become an engineer rather than pursue his interest in art but one year in engineering school confirmed his lack of interest, and Cumpiano transferred to the industrial design department at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. After earning his degree in 1969, he joined the prestigious design division of Knoll International. He still felt that something was missing in his life, however, and he developed an interest in the Spanish guitar, which he taught himself to play. Wanting to learn how to make an instrument, he took an evening course with Michael Gurian, then one of the few professional guitar makers working in New York. When Gurian opened a guitar factory in New Hampshire, Cumpiano quickly accepted an offer to work there, leaving a lucrative design career for a minimum-wage job. Under the influence of Michael Millard, a shop foreman, Cumpiano cultivated the enthusiasm and skills to become a fine instrument maker. In 1974 he opened his own guitar-making and repair studio. Since then he has made more than two hundred instruments for musicians in the United States and the Caribbean; Arlo Guthrie and Michael Lorimer are among his customers. In 1993 Cumpiano received a patent for a compression-molded, carbon-fiber composite soundboard, and now produces a limited edition employing his invention.
Meeting: Wednesday, February 5, 2003 Talk will be geared to inventors with minimal electronics experience, but should be useful to more experienced designers as well. Topics will include key points in the design process, such as determining if electronics are needed, the basic abilities electronics can provide, the basic technologies to consider (what parts to use), the design process, prototyping, testing, and getting the design into manufacturing. With some luck, there will be a demo to accompany the talk.
Meeting: Wednesday, December 4, 2002 Dodge sells to retail and commercial clients. His products have been placed with Fisher-Price, where his "My Little Bed" became a blockbuster seller and he sells to major hotel chains. Jim’s "Gliding Wood Cradle" won a gold ribbon at the 2000 International Juvenile Products Show in Dallas. Meeting: Wednesday, October 2, 2002 Panelists: Plastic components can offer excellent product design options by providing forms not readily available with other materials and manufacturing methods. Plastic components can incorporate features such as snap-fits and living hinges that provide easy assembly, and cost savings by reducing the number of parts in the final assembly or eliminating standard fasteners such as screws. This presentation focuses on tips and techniques for plastic component and
assembly design to produce quality and cost-effective parts. Specific
topics include a discussion of design tips to maximize product quality while
minimizing component and tooling cost, when and how to use integrated assembly
features such as snap-fits, and a brief material discussion to help ensure the
best material choice for the product application. Mary Ellroy was fory years old when she decided leave her position in a large corporation to become a toy and game developer. Since 1989, she has developed more than 80 games and toys, 12 of which are currently on the maket. Four more are coming out later this year. She has also taken over the presidency of the Inventors' Association of Connecticut as has been a judge at the Yankee Invention Exposition. Toy and game development has much in common with the development of products in other industries but there are also significant differences in how toys and games get to market. Ellroy will talk about the stages of toy and game development and the lessons she's learned. Wednesday, April 3, 2002 Wednesday, February 6, 2002
There are many similarities between the individual inventor and a small company. The biggest challenge has been limited resources, especially funding for new product initiatives. Individual inventors can learn how one small company is overcoming those hurdles and find principles that they can apply to their own situation. Beekley's top selling products came as a result of product ideas developed by individual inventors in the past two decades. Today Beekley continues to work with small inventors as a key strategy for new product development. Beekley is best known for it skin markers, Beekley SPOTS for use in Mammography and other diagnostic imaging procedures. Cornelia R. Jansen has been with Beekley for almost 2 years - first as New Product Specialist and now as Business Development Manager. Her background has been in marketing and new product development for large (Chesebrough-Ponds, P&G) and small companies (PERT Survey Research, Beekley Corporation). Wednesday, December 5, 2001
Wednesday, October 3, 2001
Wednesday, August 1, 2001
Wednesday, June 6, 2001
The complexities and costs involved with bringing a new product concept to fruition demands the highest level of attention to detail. As with any new venture, planning is imperative, and knowing what questions to ask is more critical than searching for a particular absolute answer. Darleen Flaig, from Product Solutions, International, Inc., has been directing the development and manufacture of consumer products for major corporations since 1975. Wednesday, April 4, 2001, 7:00 pm
Eric Chamberlain and Lisa Fisher Chamberlain have extensive background in design and fabrication, particularly in the field of special effects. Eric’s feature film work includes physical effects for the opening titles and promotions for THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP, SPACEHUNTER, LIFEFORCE, NEW YORK STORIES, and visual effects for PREDATOR I and II, THE LAST ACTION HERO and JUDGE DREDD. Lisa worked as a producer of visual effects commercials and feature film advertising. Her credits include spots and campaigns for Diet Pepsi, Miller Beer, Bell Atlantic, GHOSTBUSTERS, TOOTSIE, THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN, and THE BIG CHILL. In 1995 Lisa and Eric led Mass.Illusion's physical and visual effects departments for the studio's work on the feature films ERASER (Warner Bros.), EVENT HORIZON (Paramount Pictures), and STARSHIP TROOPERS (Columbia Pictures), including coordinating the efforts of CAD, models and miniatures, mechanical effects, rigging, electronics, camera, and motion control. One of Lisa’s projects included the design, fabrication and operation of a visual effects camera rig for the feature film THE MATRIX (Warner Bros., Academy Award, Visual Effects, 2000). Wednesday, February 7, 2001
Wednesday, December 6, 2000
Martha Flood has just returned from a weekend of workshops presented by the Color Marketing Group, attended by over 600 professionals. Her presentation will be an informal open-ended discussion about the importance of color in product development. Topics for discussion include: color trends, scientific aspects of color, how a product's market position and life cycle affect its color; consideration of physical and psychological aspects of color, and how manufacturing processes affect color. Martha is a graduate of Syracuse University and has twenty-two years experience. She is the owner of MC Design in Huntington, where she designs and colors patterns for wallpapers and laminates. Wednesday, October 4, 2000
Bob Beer is a man who has worn many hats. One hat he's worn has been as the developer of two products in the area of ice rescue equipment. Bob's reaction to a drowning accident became the impetus for the development of RESCUE ALIVE and he remains passionate about eliminating needless deaths. While thirty towns in western Massachusetts now own RESCUE ALIVE ice/water rescue sleds, which are sold throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, Bob is still eager to see RESCUE ALIVE become widely available. Bob will show a video demonstrating the sled in use and talk as well
about the development of a companion product, Water Rescue Jaws.
RESCUE ALIVE, used in the effort to rescue children, adults, snowmobilers,
as well as pets who have fallen through the ice, is specially designed
to achieve two major objectives: getting to the victim as quickly as possible
and keeping the individual attempting the rescue safe as he or she does
so. The market for RESCUE ALIVE is fire departments, rescue teams,
and agencies such as the Coast Guard. Community organizations, such as
the Boy Scouts, get donations through a program that promotes fundraising
for the purchase of a sled. Balise Chevrolet in Springfield donated four
sleds to area towns.
Wednesday, August 2, 2000
Wednesday, June 7, 2000
Hal Meyer talked about licensing from the point of view of an invention
broker and Dick Fuchs talked about licensing from his experience as an
inventor. Dave and Karyl match inventors and their new products with
companies that are looking to extend or expand their product lines. They
will show products they have helped bring to market and explain ways in
which inventors and manufacturers can best come together to ensure success.
Wednesday, April 5, 2000
Wednesday, February 2, 2000
Wednesday, December 1, 1999
Rick Ricard is a local inventor who, 6 years ago, came up with an idea for a better, safer way to slice bagels, called the Bagel Biter. He received a utility patent and various trademarks. He formed a company that continues the development process, outsources and manages the manufacturing, and performs the sales, marketing and distribution functions in-house. The product is manufactured exclusively in the US and is sold through both consumer and commercial channels. It can be found in retail outlets, including Williams-Sonoma, Brookstone, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Lechters. Over the years Rick has gained valuable experience in the product development process including industrial design, prototyping and testing. He has worked with designers, engineers and job shops that produce injection molded plastic parts, steel stamping and grinding, boxes and assembly. Manufacturing management includes: outsourcing; drawings; tool design; part design; assembly; and, quality. Sales and marketing experience includes: tradeshows; package design; advertising; building a rep force; and, managing and growing sales. All of these experiences include working with many different types of consultants. Michael Garjian is a long time inventor with several developments to
his credit. Most recently, he conceived of and commercialized a unique
flat light source consisting of neon gas encapsulated within engraved plates
of glass. Using his patented structure and processes, he was able
to produce glowing images within a laminated glass sandwich resulting in
what was recognized as the most significant advance in neon sign fabrication
since the beginning of the century.
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