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June 2007 Inventor's Fair

September 10, 2007

2007 Inventors’ Fair Showcases Unique New Products Plus Young Inventors

On June 21, 20 innovative minds gathered at CincyTech to showcase their new products at the 2007 Greater Cincinnati Inventors’ Fair, sponsored by GCVA in conjunction with the Inventor’s Council of Cincinnati. Products ranged from Shaam Sundhar’s Heavenly AirTM, a way to clean the air in your entire home, to Dick Knepfle’s Crabinator, an easier way to enjoy your favorite seafood.

Doug Roberts, partner at Thompson Hine and GCVA’s president-elect, felt the offerings provided good opportunities for angel and venture firms to invest in products that had a chance of success: "We were extremely happy with the quality of inventor who applied for the Fair this year," he explains. "Not only did we have some technology-based products, but we also had medical products such as the Nasal Vortex [a way to quickly & safely stop nosebleeds] and consumer products such as SlipKicks [covers for skateboarder shoes to extend their life]. There was possibly something for every type of investor."

As usual, the inventors were divided into two categories: Presenters, who were actively looking for funding; and Exhibitors, who were looking for other types of support. In addition to table time, each Presenter had 2.5 minutes to present their "elevator speech" to the group of over 100 attendees. Their focus was to spark interest to gain investment funds for prototyping, manufacturing, starting their business, or expanding. Marianne Buttner, inventor of Creative Coverlets, says this was the perfect audience for presenting her burgeoning business. "I go to all the GCVA meetings, but it can be hard to meet the right people," she explained. However, at the Inventors’ Fair, she found many people were interested enough in her product to have a lengthy discussion: "I could not have gotten this type of exposure in another setting – it was great!"

Exhibitors had the chance to talk with attendees at tables set up in the Exhibitor Room. Their hope was to make a connection that could lead them to help in marketing, licensing, manufacturing, or even sales. One Exhibitor, Mary Kay Hansen, inventor of the BLADEater, felt this was a great way to make contacts: "The attendees were so diverse, I made lots of contacts who can help in one way or another. Paul Conrady, inventor of the medical product La Appliqué, agrees. "People were so helpful," he felt. "Everyone was willing to talk and provide advice that was extremely useful."

Several inventors, such as Shaam Sundhar (Heavenly Air and Fast Freeze), Brent Stagnaro (Self-cleaning Hand Belt Sander), Paul Wang (Nasal Vortex), Paul Conrady (La Appliqué), Ilene Davis (Not Just For Retirement Personal Finance Calculator) and Lisa Bryant (Yarn Flipper) traveled many miles to participate in the Fair. Shaam, who is from New Jersey, says, "It’s nice to get out of your immediate area, to expose your product to other investors and get their input." Ilene agrees: "I came up from Florida because I wanted to talk with investors in the Midwest," she says.

While GCVA attendees have seen the format of Presenters and Exhibitors at the last few Inventors’ Fairs, this year they also saw something new: Young Inventors, students in grades 3-6, who have invented products either on their own or as a school project. Twelve students presented their prototypes and gave attendees a glimpse of what they can expect in the future as these creative young people mature into enthusiastic entrepreneurs and inventors.

A list of all inventors and a brief description of their products is attached here. If you would like to get in touch with any of them, please contact Jacqui Phlipot at jphlipot@cincinnatichamber.com.

2007 Greater Cincinnati Inventors’ Fair Participants

Presenters:

1. Shaam Sundhar: Heavenly Air & Fast Freeze
Heavenly Air uses the same Ion generation technology of expensive conventional air cleaners. It is built in a perforated, small container with a pressure sensor switch. The unit is simply dropped into the existing air vent. It works when the ducted forced air comes from beneath; therefore the whole room is clean. There are no fans. It attacks the dirty air at the source.

2. Ilene Davis: Not Just For Retirement Calculator
This is a software program that is used for personal financial calculations and business calculations. It is much easier and more comprehensive than other options available.

3. Alice Huff: Perfect Pattern & Marie Travel Bags
The Perfect Pattern is paper with evenly spaced perforated holes that will make a pattern for virtually anything: tile, wallpaper, ceramic tile, home improvement projects. Marie Travel Bags are luggage with compartments for clean and dirty clothes.

4. Stacey Nobbe: Game Hero
The Game Hero is a plastic storage box designed specifically for board games. It is the only plastic storage box that can store and protect a board game with or without its original cardboard box. The product has moveable and removable dividers for game pieces. It also has storage slots on the sides that can hold the title portion of the cardboard game box for easy identification.

5. Beverly Tinsley/Tom Hortel: Bus Stop game
Bus Stop is a game for toddlers to learn about being safe while waiting for the school bus, riding the bus and for learning early social skills for interacting with other children.

6. Brent Stagnaro: Self-cleaning Hand Belt Sander
This product removes dirt and debris from the surface of a sanding belt while the machine is in operation.

7. Paul Wang: Nasal Vortex
This is a cheap, portable, safe source of cold gas that can be used as a first aid device for nosebleeds. The invention utilizes a vortex tube to create freezing temperature air from a mini-compressed air tank. The user inhales the freezing air to stop or significantly slow down a nosebleed within seconds.

8. Rod Herdman: EZ Change Lock
"Change the key, not the lock." Once the lock is installed, the lock owner can change keys simply by using a reset tool or by pushing a button.

9. Marianne Buttner: CreativeCoverlets
CreativeCoverlets make pet carriers more fun and interesting. The coverlets are interchangeable, easily releasable design elements that change the look of run-of-the-mill, mass-produced pet carriers.

10. Richard Knepfle: Crabinator
The Crabinator is a convenient, innovative, elegant and fun flatware utensil, easing the opening and consumption of seafood.

Exhibitors:

1. Marcille Plank: SlipKicks
SlipKicks are a rubber overshoe designed to 1) protect the shoes of skateboarders; 2) enhance performance by offering better grip for executing stunts; and 3) serve as a fashionable item for image-conscious skateboard community.

2. Richard Eadens: Cord Organizer, Reciprocating Off-Set Flush Cut Blade Adapter, Cart Trolley
The Cord Organizer eliminates the tangle of wires from computer and entertainment systems. It is positioned on the rear side of desks or cabinets and includes a power strip. The Reciprocating Offset Flush Cut Blade Adapter is an inexpensive adapter bracket that allows for flush cuts with a surface with a reciprocating saw. The Cart Trolley is a unique, inexpensive and easy way to retrieve shopping carts from parking lots, also reducing injuries.

3. Mary Kay Hansen: BLADEater
The BLADEater® holster snaps utility knife blades faster and safer. The holster’s patented built-in blade snapper makes it easy to snap blades one-handed. Broken blade segments are safely contained in the disposable blade well.

4. Joseph Pate, Jr.: Quick-n-Easy Boat Guide
A guide to assist in the loading and unloading of your boat. The guide protrudes from a vertical mounting post on the trailer. By using its adjustable fitting, the guide can be set in position parallel to the trailer. A small post mount is installed on the bow of the boat to hold the removable catching-post. The guide is equipped with a spring-loaded gate and post stop to accept the catching post. Adaptable for any trailer/craft combination.

5. Michael Fields: Toilet Overflow Check System
This unique product prevents clogged toilets from overflowing.

6. C. Paul Conrady: La Appliqué
This is an improved, medicated appliqué for the treatment of dry, cracked skin on the human fingertip.

7. Robin Webb: The Bag Caddy
The days of shoving all your bags into drawers, under cabinets or the side of the fridge are gone! The Bag Caddy is an attractive storage unit that organizes all types of bags. It hangs conveniently over ther back of a door or on a flat surface. It keeps bags separated by type so that grabbing one to reuse or recycle is very easy.

8. Lisa Bryant: Yarn Flipper
This is a unique product that keeps multiple balls or skeins of yarn in perfect alignment and tangle-free for ease in completing crochet projects.

9. Robert & Diana Cuthbertson: Pumpstir Cup
This is a container for pneumatically stirring a beverage. Current flow is displaced from a flexible member, such as a depressible bulb, and regulated through an outlet optionally containing a one-way valve into a liquid receptacle. The resultant current flow in the receptacle initiates a stirring motion in the beverage. Air expelled from the depressible bulb may be replenished through an inlet in the bulb.

10. Majid Khodabandeh: Chess & Politics: Highest Political Chess Game
A unique product that combines both chess and politics. Great for the whole family.

Young Inventors:

1. Natalie Brady: Booster Buddy, MyFear Eliminator
The Booster Buddy is a pillow to make a child’s car seat more comfortable and ergonomically correct. The MyFear Eliminator helps children conquer their fears by engaging them in an activity versus using passive means like books.

2. Travis Banks: Focus Glasses
Focus Glasses help students who can’t focus on school work to only see what’s in front of them.

3. Haley Powers: Backpack Umbrella
This is an umbrella in your backpack so it can be held over your head when your hands are full.

4. Morgan Huff: Weekly Dietary Animal Feeder
This unique feeder has a slot for a measured amount of food so your pet will never be overfed.

5. Laurel Romano: Tuck ‘n Muck
The Tuck ‘n Muck is a telescoping pitchfork to make it easier to maneuver in tight stalls and around your horse.

6. Gary Randolph: The Germinator
This is a pen with a hand sanitizer dispenser attached, to zap germs wherever they may come from.

7. Maddie Lindner: Snake Skin
The Snake Skin keeps iPod earphone wired untangled and easy to use and store.

8. Nate Isfort: Easy to Find Street Name Sign
This is a solar-powered Plexiglas box attachment for neighborhood street signs, to illuminate them at night.

9. Autumn Grace Peterson: Underbelt System
If you need a belt but don’t want it to show … if your pants or skirt do not have belt loops … just attach this inside your waistband and your garment fits perfectly.

10. Jessica Osterday: Sweet ShinGuardz
This is a deodorizing canister for shin guards that attaches to a gym bag or back pack. It features a carbon filter to absorb odor.

11. Lina Rios: Fido Finder
The Fido finder is to find your small dog in rainy or snowy conditions. It’s a flag on a pole that attaches around the dog’s abdomen.

12. Kara Hunsche: Kara’s Cup & Cover
This product is to make crutches more comfortable & functional for everyday use. It has colorful wrapping for the metal portion of the crutch to prevent against cold. There is a supply holder in the "Y" portion of the crutch to hold school supplies, wallet, etc, when traveling on crutches.