DIYbanter - View Single Post - New tool idea -- need your opinions! (Hint: one machine instead of a planer AND A jointer)

Mon, Nov 21, 2005, 1:57pm (EST+5)
(Steve*Peterson) doth sayeth:
snip Your patent has to be useful, but it also has to be novel snip

Never heard the part about a patent having to be useful.

Once worked with an officer who had gotten a patent. For a stand
to hold a helmet, so it could be filled with water, for shaving,
washing. Portable, lightweight, collapsible, took up little spacee,
etc. And, absolutely no market whatsoever for it. He'd figured he'd
make a fortune, selling it to the military. Turned out, no one wanted
to use it; handier to dig a small hole in the ground to hold the helmet,
set them on tailgates, have a buddy hold it, etc., plus not having to
take it down, and stow it. Only cost him about $10,000 (ten thousand)
U.S. dollars.

JOAT
Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.