United Patent Research client, Dale J., continues to receive corporate interest in his innovative portable lavatory. Home Steel Siding and Windows LLC contacted Universal Licensing, the licensing affiliate of United Patent Research, and requested details regarding Dale’s invention, Portable Privacy. Universal Licensing proceeded to send the interested company a Confidential Disclosure Agreement which the company signed and returned to Universal Licensing. The interested company was then sent detailed information about Portable Privacy. Dale’s invention is an easy to set-up and use portable lavatory providing privacy in emergency situations. Additionally, Portable Privacy can be a very practical accessory for camping, fishing, and hunting.

One of the services offered by United Patent Research relates to the preparation and filing of provisional patent applications in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Several inventors working with United Patent Research have achieved patent pending status for their inventions through the UPR’s provisional patent application program.

• Cheneta M. is the inventor of the practical Foot Scrubber. This innovative home cleaning device is designed to make floor and carpet cleaning convenient and effective for individuals who cannot easily bend over.
• Michael S. is the inventor of the innovative Sullivan Shower Doors. This aesthetic, yet practical, shower door design allows significantly greater elbow room in a shower than conventional show doors.
• Most people like creative entertainment and therefore Vincent C.’s Tabby Bingo should find a wide following. Tabby Bingo is an exciting new bingo game board that doesn’t need chips or coins to keep track of the winning squares. As chips or coins are not used, transportation and set-up of the bingo game is greatly simplified.
• For football fans around the world Roy E. has created the Beaded Football. Utilizing a creative bead assembly system, the Beaded Football is an eye-catching statement of the owner’s support of a specific football team.
• Car and pick-up truck owners around the world should find the Car Mate to be of interest. Invented by William G., the Car Mate is a car/pick-up truck cover which provides effective protection against extreme inclement weather while being very attractive and eye-catching.
• New clothing concepts continue to emerge from the minds of inventors. Thomas H. is the inventor of An Extra Inch which is designed to conveniently and unobtrusively stretch a pant’s waste band.
• Gardening is a creative pastime with many people around the world. With this in mind Patricia H. invented the Garden Buddy which allows a gardener to easily carry garden tools and store flowers in water after they have been picked.
• William O. has solved a common electrical problem with his Multi Task Adapter. With this innovative electrical connector a user can attach an extension cord regardless of whether the plug is male or female. This electrical adapter is especially useful in connecting strings of decorative lights.
• Inventor Lillie P. has devised the practical Hot Plate/Grill which is a perfect cooking implement for small environments, such as college dorms and efficiency apartments.
• For parents around the world Paul S. conceived the Plate-Bowl and Cup Loc. This spill-resistant serving tray permits parents to confidently put food and beverages on a highchair without worrying that the food and drink will soon be on the floor.
• Another invention that can make life more enjoyable for many people is the Comfort Canopy invented by Chuck S. As an accessory for child strollers, wheelchairs, and power chairs, the Comfort Canopy provides protection from sun and rain while delivering personal cooling during warm weather.
• Homes, offices, and small business should find William R.’s invention the Super Handtruck to be of great value. As a multifunction device, the Super Handtruck can be used as a stoop ladder, a flat bed, an extra length transfer bed, and of course, as a conveniently sized handtruck.
• Finally Andrew H. has developed the Snap-Stone Repair Clip which allows the user to easily and accurately repair a Snap-Stone floating floor tile system. With this tool a new tile can be accurately aligned with existing tiles.

As can be seen from the above listing of inventions, United Patent Research works with a variety of inventors with inventions in many diverse areas. United Patent Research will continue to work with these inventors in their attempts to advance their inventions.

Universal Licensing, the licensing affiliate of United Patent Research, has communicated to United Patent Research client Dale J. that Shademarker Inc. has shown initial interest in his invention, Portable Privacy. Universal Licensing proceeded to send this company a Confidential Disclosure Agreement in order to protect the intellectual property rights of the inventor. After this agreement was signed Universal Licensing promptly provided Shademarker with detailed information about Portable Privacy. The invention, Portable Privacy, is an innovative portable lavatory providing privacy in emergency situations. Portable Privacy is easy to set-up, disassemble, and store. This unit can easily be carried in a car or truck. Although Portable Privacy is designed to be very useful in emergency situations, it can also be a very practical accessory for camping, fishing, and hunting.

United Patent Research attends several tradeshows each year on behalf of its clients. At these tradeshows manufacturers often tell UPR’s representatives that they are mainly, or even exclusively, interested in inventions that are patented or patent pending. At the National
Hardware Show held this year in Las Vegas, a representative of a web based California invention development and marketing company communicated to UPR’s representative that they are solely interested in patented inventions. This is good news for UPR clients as United Patent Research has a large repertoire of patented inventions. UPR has proceeded to send this interested company an extensive listing of patented inventions conceived by UPR’s clients. Time and time again, UPR has noticed that attaining patent protection for an invention is not only a positive step in securing an inventor’s intellectual property rights, but is also a positive plus when presenting a new idea to a manufacturer.

In November, United Patent Research attended the SEMA tradeshow in Las Vegas. At this show Patrick Ralston, the President of UPR, made contact with several manufacturers in the automotive supply industry. Upon returning to UPR Headquarters, Mr. Ralston proceeded to send lists of relevant inventions to the manufacturers he contacted at the SEMA show. A Canadian company located in Ontario recently responded by signing UPR’s non-disclosure agreement and requested additional information about four inventions. United Patent Research’s licensing affiliate, Universal Licensing, then contacted the company with additional information about the four inventions the company inquired about. United Patent Research and Universal Licensing will continue to work together on this promising manufacturer lead. It should be noted that many of the tradeshows attended by United Patent Research are not open to the general public and therefore UPR’s tradeshow activities often offer inventors a unique “window of opportunity”. Presently, United Patent Research is preparing to attend the very significant Consumer Electronic Show which will be held in Las Vegas this January.

Getting appropriate information about an invention into the marketplace is always a challenge for inventors. United Patent Research Client Chuck S. recently had the opportunity to discuss his invention on WDEL 1150 AM radio, a Delaware radio station. Chuck explained how his experiences with wheelchair use led him to conceive the Comfort Canopy. This innovative accessory for wheelchairs, power chairs, and child strollers provides protection from sun and rain while providing personal cooling during warm weather. Without giving exact construction details over the air, Chuck explained the value of his invention and his enthusiasm for it. Details of this interview can be accessed as follows: http://www.wdel.com/destories.php

United Patent Research encourages American inventors to focus on attaining patent protection in the United States instead of trying to first attain patent protection in other world markets. UPR, does however, realize that attaining patent protection in other world markets, in addition to achieving patent protection in the United States, can be a valuable asset. United Patent Research is proud to make available to its clients highly competent patent work in the European Economic Community. As the European Economic Community currently consists of 27 member countries, it constitutes a considerable marketplace in terms of both size and economic resources. Several UPR clients have recently been successful in filing a patent application in the European Economic Community and receiving an official Certificate of Registration from the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market of the European Community.

• Inventor Brian B. is the creator of the Back Jack which is an innovative backpack that can easily be converted into a combination waterproof jacket and backpack.
• Jeffrey H. is inventor of the simplistic yet effective Windshield Road Guides that permit a driver of a large truck to easily stay within a highway lane.
• Another auto/truck related invention is the Night Spotter Safety Treads invented by David G. This innovative tire design was designed to significantly improve road safety at night.
• For multiple emergency situations Dale J. has conceived the practical Portable Privacy. This highly transportable lavatory is also a valuable accessory for camping, fishing, and hunting.
• With years as a funeral home professional, Hal M. created the unique Cremation Urn which can store the cremated remains of a loved one in a secure and dignified manner.
• For the boating industry worldwide, Philip R. invented the Pre Cast Boat Ramp and Retaining Wall. This innovative boating accessory permits relatively easy construction of boat ramps, retaining walls, and bulkheads in an environmentally friendly manner.
• Finally for people who enjoy new culinary sensations, Darren G. has created Daddy’s Salt. This unique seasoning can enhance the flavor of multiple, varied foods.

It is a great day for an inventor when an official patent certificate is received in the mail. At last, the inventor can feel confident that his or her intellectual property rights are protected in the country covered by the patent. Although United Patent Research (UPR) believes that securing patent rights in the United States should be the primary patent goal for American inventors, UPR understands the value of securing patent rights in other marketplaces. It is good news that several inventors working with United Patent Research have been sent official China patent certificates by the State Intellectual Property Office of China.

• Timothy C. is the inventor of a unique personal light called the Foot Light. This invention permits the user to have a personal light in a dark environment while maintaining the full use of both hands.
• Bryant and Erica T. are the proud inventors of the Taco Rack. This taco cooking and serving device greatly simplifies the task of cooking and serving both soft and hard shell tacos.
• An invention that should find international approval is the Hitch Buddy invented by Edward B. This innovative truck accessory is designed to conveniently store up to two trailer hitches in a truck bed. With this unit trailer hitches can be safely stored and easily accessed when needed.
• Finally, Raymond and Alice R. are the inventors of the simplistic yet practical Dip Stick. This easy to use tool takes the guesswork out of adding the proper amount of oil to an engine. Gas station attendants should find this tool to be especially helpful as they will not have to look in a manual to find the correct amount of oil to add to a specific engine.

Although United Patent Research recognizes the paramount importance of securing patent protection in the United States, UPR also recognizes the value of securing patent protection in major foreign markets. United Patent Research offers highly competent patent services in China and the European Economic Community. Several inventors working with United Patent Research recently attained patent pending status in China. Hal Vester M., a funeral home professional, is the inventor of the Cremation Urn which allows the cremated remains of a loved one to be stored in an attractive and unique manner. Inventor Philip R. has devised the practical Pre Cast Boat Ramp and Retaining Wall. This innovative boating accessory permits the relatively easy construction of boat ramps, retaining walls, and bulkheads using an environmentally friendly construction technique. Finally, Billy Floyd W. is the creator of the Western Boot Hat which is one of the most original and unique hats ever created. With an overall Wild West design theme, this hat combines design elements of a cowboy boot with design elements of a Wild West reptile.

Two significant tradeshows were recently attended by United Patent Research President Patrick Ralston on behalf of UPR clients. Both of these Las Vegas based tradeshows showcased automotive related products from October 30 through November 1. The AAPEX (i.e., Automotive After Market Products Expo) was located in the Sands Expo Center and was attended by over 115,000 individuals involved in automotive related businesses. A related tradeshow, the SEMA 2012, was held in Las Vegas during the same time period. This show emphasized specialty automotive products. Over 60,000 individuals from automotive and tool related business attended this impressive show. Approximately 2,000 new tools, components, and parts were presented at the show. It is important to note that the SEMA show was not open to the general public. United Patent Research clients are fortunate that UPR is able to send representatives to tradeshows, such as the SEMA, that are not available to the general public. Upon returning to UPR headquarters, Mr. Ralston began the rigorous task of reviewing, analyzing, and categorizing the various manufacturer leads he acquired through meeting with industry representatives at the AAPEX and SEMA shows. Mr. Ralston is now in the process of providing these manufacturer representatives with appropriate information about inventions conceived by inventors working with United Patent Research.