Innovate Design features in the most recent issue of New Design Magazine (94). Editor Alastair Welch recently visited our design studios to find out what we do and how we do it.

“The workshop at Innovate Product Design’s Salisbury headquarters feels like a cross between Q’s laboratory for the James Bond films and the set of the BBC business show Dragons’ Den. Amidst the bare-brick walls, machines and gizmos, one half expects to bump into Desmond Llewellyn pitching a fountain pen that fires poisin darts to an unimpressed Duncan Bannatyne. It is a fitting home for a business that specialises in using design to help individual inventors and entrepreneurs realise an idea and take it to market.”

To read the full article and to see some great pictures of our studios, click the link below.

New Design Magazine article

Sonia Day has won the Concept Award at the 2011 Concept and Innovation Awards from the Baby Products Association. Tooth Ticklers is a uniquely designed toothbrush specifically for babies and toddlers.

While there are existing toothbrushes on the market for children with variations in handle designs, these are generally smaller versions of adult toothbrushes which make cleaning little teeth unsatisfactory and fiddly. Tooth Ticklers have bristles all the way round the head so top and bottom teeth get brushed at the same time with different length bristles for hard to reach places. The ergonomically designed handle with a weighted bottom also ensures that Tooth Ticklers remain upright to keep the bristles away from unhygienic surfaces.

The award was presented by Simon Veale, director of leading parcel and carrier manager Global Freight Solutions (GFS) official sponsor of the BPA Concept & Innovation Awards. Simon commented: “We at GFS are very proud to sponsor these awards for the second year running and the five finalists here today are a shining example of the high standard of entries overall.

“However, the entries stood out not only for their product design, but their business planning, commitment to their product and also visitor feedback during the Baby Show for Trade.”

Innovate Product Design conducted the worldwide patent search and CAD drawings for Tooth Ticklers. Congratulations to Sonia and all the best for the successful progression of the project. For more information, please visit  www.toothticklers.com

Innovate Design’s Salisbury studios have recently featured in the Woolley & Wallis Property magazine.

The building has also been commended by the Salisbury Civic Society Conservation Awards Scheme  for “outstanding work to an existing building”.

Below is the article which shows some photos of where we are. If you haven’t already visited Innovate Design, give us a call and arrange a meeting.

From the Intellectual Property Office website:

A new law comes into force today that will give small and medium sized businesses easier access to justice to protect their copyright and trade marks. The Patents County Court (Financial Limits) Order (No.2) 2011 creates a clearer definition of which disputes involving copyright and trade mark claims should be heard in the Patents County Court (PCC) and which ones should go to the High Court.

The change will encourage more businesses to protect their intellectual property and enforce their rights. Evidence presented to the recent Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and Growth indicated that small and medium sized firms are dissuaded from enforcing IP rights because of the fear of high court costs.

A new damages cap of £500,000 for all claims in the PCC means small companies claiming damages up to that amount are less likely to face a potentially more expensive trip to the High Court.

To view the full story, please go to the Intellectual Property Office Website

America Invents Act: Improving the US Patent System

On Friday 16th September, President Obama signed the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (The AIA or Patent Reform Act of 2011) which brings new legislation to the American patenting system in order to improve current processes. The changes have been proposed for some time and, having been finalised just days ago, it is believed that the modifications to the system are the most significant since 1952. (Goldman, David (June 24, 2011). “Patent reform is finally on its way”. CNNMoney.com. Retrieved August 16, 2011.)

Although none of these changes will affect UK filing, they are relevant for those looking to extend their UK applications into the US or the PCT (Patent Corporation Treaty): an international unitary filing system that allows an applicant to file in all 142 countries who subscribe, including the US.

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Wendy Thomson, Health Swing, was another brave inventor who approached Dragons’ Den for investment, as seen on television last week. The Health Swing is a swing for exercising the whole body in a progressive non-weight bearing exercise regime. It can be used for many purposes from keep-fit right through to rehabilitation and provides resistance and feedback for motivation and regulation. After conducting some research on the web, Wendy Thomson contacted Innovate Design with her idea. We helped by conducting a worldwide patent search and after finding nothing similar to her idea, we produced design boards based on her brief. She then went on to the prototyping stage and also applied for registered designs and trademarks.

The main challenges in getting her idea developed were amalgamating the design and structure as well as the psychological and physical ramifications demanded. Once the prototype was finished, Wendy had the prototype evaluated by Doug Cartwright at the prestigious hdti Institute Coventry University. Doug was given every assistance and help by Innovate Design. The results of the evaluation, the defining moment, satisfied all the main objectives she had identified at the outset. Wendy then became a finalist in the red dot international concept competition and also decided to apply for Dragons’ Den.

Having identified three markets for the Health Swing (leisure, gym and rehabilitation), Wendy decided the easiest route to pursue was the leisure market. Although Wendy did not win investment from the Dragons, she was offered help with contacts from Dragon Hilary Devey. Wendy is currently working out how to address the stability of the swing, whether to give it a bigger footprint or to secure it to the floor or from the ceiling. She is currently exploring licensing routes and self-manufacture options. Wendy has told Innovate she has very fond memories of her association with us and values our continued interest in her inventions.

We wish Wendy every success with her project.

Last night saw another collection of brave inventors face the Dragons in their Den.

Innovate were pleased to see two more clients who had successfully got through the tough rounds of auditions to make it on the show. Ian Wilson with his Wind-E-Lite and Wendy Thomson with Health Swing. Innovate were involved in the design and prototyping of both of these projects.

Wind-E-Lite provides a green solution to power a bicycle light. When cycling, a fan generates enough power for a bicycle light and therefore avoids the need for batteries. Ian came to Innovate in 2009 with his idea. After conducting a global patent search, the design team worked on refining his idea and then moved on to prototyping the product. The whole process took about 18 months. Ian applied for a patent which is currently pending. Ian hopes to attract investors or obtain a licensing agreement to get Wind-E-Lite mass manufactured.

His tip for other investors is to “not give up and to apply every option you can think which will be of benefit to the project.” 

With thanks to Ian Wilson for giving permission to produce this article.

Watch this space for more information on Wendy Thomson’s Health Swing.

Pictured below are the Front and Rear Wind-E-Lites.

There was success in the Dragons’ Den this week for one of Innovate’s clients Kate Castle with her ingenious solution for those caught short on the move. Kate secured an investment of £50,000 for a 30% stake of her business from retail sector expert Theo Paphitis. After a thorough grilling from the Dragons in the Den, Kate did enough to convince Theo that her product was worth the investment!

Kate approached Innovate originally in 2008 looking for assistance in the development of her idea primarily aimed potentially at the camping and festival market and we were more than happy to help! From here, our team of product designers helped Kate with the development of her concept and have provided support from this point onwards.

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Intellectual Property Rights: How to protect your great idea – video clip from the BBC website.

Take a look at this video clip from the BBC on why it is so important to keep your idea confidential and to protect it properly with a patent or other form of intellectual property protection.

We would add to this that you should seek advice from companies who comply with the new British Standard BS 8538 and who always sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement prior to discussing your idea with you. We have a qualified in-house Patent Agent who is able to advise on the best form of protection for your idea.

To view the videoclip on the BBC website – click here

Investment in UK businesses, protected by intellectual property rights, is worth £65 billion per year.

Article from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills website

Reports published today show that investments made by businesses in products and services that are protected by intellectual property rights (IPRs) are worth £65 billion a year. The announcement was made by Minister for Intellectual Property, Baroness Wilcox.

Two new reports, ‘The Role of Intellectual Property Rights in the UK Market Sector’ and ‘Film, Television & Radio, Books, Music and Art: UK Investment in Artistic Originals’ commissioned by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), highlight that more money than ever before is being invested in products and services that have protection in copyright, designs, patents and trade marks.

The reports also show that £3 billion of copyright investment is not included in National Accounts, meaning that a substantial amount of money is not accounted for in the value of intellectual property growth. The IPO is now working with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to factor that into Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2012.

To view the full article on Department for Business, Innovation & Skills website please click here