NEVADA INVENTORS ASSOCIATION

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Thanks

Looking forward to the new year gives us a chance to look back and evaluate how we've done so far. It seems we've done pretty well.

There's been a lot more member involvement in our activities and operations; the generous gifts and time donated by members, such as the books by Brad Hollander, the badges by Gary Fosburg, the show booth by Tony Patti, the printing of badges and signs by Len Schweitzer, the hamburger cooking at the picnic by Bart Narter, the free airplane flights by Gus Benard (with donations to the NIA) and perhaps most important and appreciated of all -- the wonderful meeting space arranged by Dr. Bill Torch.

We owe them our appreciation and gratitude. Special thanks go out to all who have donated time for activities: Thanks Nadine Goodman for all the terrific speakers. Thanks Don Costar for keeping the money straight. Thanks Lee Lopez Jr. and Lee Lopez Sr. for trying so hard to make the "NIA Kiosk" a reality (We'll get it yet). Thanks Art Gould and Paul McCain for taking over the newsletter when we needed it most. Thanks Vince Chemist for creating and maintaining a web site for the NIA.

And thanks to all who I forgot to mention for forgiving me. The special enthusiasm shown by all the NIA members at our meetings is really gratifying. It means that inventors really do help each other. By participating in discussions, asking questions, offering to help where needed, is very exciting for new members and visitors.

It shows them that we care about each other and the future of our organization. Now that the NIA has applied to IRS recognition for a nonprofit status, we have the opportunity to grow into a bigger, even better, organization and be a real asset to Nevada. We must never forget to help spread the word against the scam and rip-off companies that prey on inventors. Thank you all for your support... 1998 looks pretty exciting for the NIA.

Your President, Don Evans

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New I.D. Badges

Thanks to the generous gift of new "clip-on" badges from Sergeant-at-Arms, Gary Fosburg, the NIA membership is looking better at meetings. It is definitely a necessary part of any membership that is as interactive as ours. When folks see each other only once a month, then don't get to talk to everybody they'd like to, it's easy to forget the names that go with the faces. We've been talking about permanent badges for a long time but that's all we've done is talk about it. It took the action of an involved member to make it happen. Thank you Gary -- a lot! We owe you one for that... ('course if you forget to take it off , wear it home and leave it there, that won't work either)

Now what is needed is some sort of method of keeping them organized and available when a member shows up at a meeting and needs to find his badge quickly. I say quickly, because you know what a bottle-neck we have now just to sign in, without searching through a pile of badges. A couple folks have suggested that a filing board, box or holder be made with slots in it to hold the badges in alphabetical sequence. That's obviously a great suggestion, but it is now in the same catagory as suggesting we need the badges -- just talk. It would be wonderful if someone among the membership could actually design some sort of holding device to do it. Maybe something that folds, or closes, or with a lid, so it would be easy to transport to the meetings. Right now they're just in a box, which works for transporting, but what a mess to find your own badge!

Is there a "Badge Board" inventor in the audience?? We'll work on getting it built, but the design comes first. Don't you agree? It should provide slots for about 100, I would say. We've got over 70 members now, and growing. Goto the bottom of page.

Patent & Trademark Searching Seminar

On December 3rd the patent and trademark searching seminar held at the UNR library was one of the best things that could happen to an inventor. It was really terrific!, and that is an understatement. The three presenters from Washington D.C. (Amanda Putnam, Mike White and Dave Morrison) did a really professional presentation, and equally as professional were our local Reno folks, Pat Ragains and Joanne Guyton, who participated in the presentation. That's no surprise, actually, because under the direction of Duncan Aldridge all the Business and Government Information folks are professionals, as anyone who uses that library finds out.

There were quite a few NIA members there, maybe 10 or 12, but it's too bad every single member couldn't make it. The one's who did show up were treated to a day of information about searching patents and trademarks that was fantastic!

No boring stuff you'd expect from a seminar hosted by government folks. No, this was all meat and potatoes from start to finish. A whole day, from 9:00AM to 5:00PM, and packed full of information we can use. We learned, basic nuts and bolts steps that get you started, plus shortcuts to searching that save time; the time we normally waste poking and stabbing at a system that requires some learning to use properly.

I wrote on my evaluation sheet that we could use that same presentation every six months instead of once and gone. I sure hope others did the same. Not only did we learn basics and shortcuts, we learned that everyone can do it. It doesn't have to be intimidating, as some folks think. It doesn't require a lot of knowledge about computers and it doesn't require a trip out of town or contacting a stranger to do your search back in Washington D.C. We can do it easily right here in Reno, at the UNR library facilities. The seminar was definitely a winning experience for all who attended. With luck we can get them back soon. Another thing that will benefit more inventors -- I've always preached that not only is the inventor the best person to do his own search, now that it is becoming easier to do a good and thorough search, it saves the $175 cost to have it done by a professional.

Thanks, folks!

I was pleased to see so many NIA members on December 3 at the UNR Libraries' training seminar on "Accessing Patent and Trademark Information." The seminar was comprised of presentations on the scope of intellectual property, particularly patent and trademark information and related data bases available in the libraries' Business and Government Information Center. The presenters, Amanda Putnam, David Morrison and Michael White, are employed by the Patent Depository Library Program of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Dave and Mike are on one year feoowships at the PTO and will eventually return to their permanent positions at the Univ. of Utah and Univ. of Maine).

Their presentations were excellent and, I believe, a benefit to those attendees who have used our services in the past or may do so in the future.

Dave, Mande, & Mike stayed on for a second day to conduct staff training and discuss issues related to our library's relationship with the PTO. Seminar participants raised a number of questions, the responses of the PTO staff reflected their knowledge of intellectual property issues and committment to public service. Due to time constraints, some questions may not have been fully answered. One attendee commented about lack of access to foreign patent information, which I would like to address here.

It's true that our library does not have the same type of "free" access to foreign patent information as is available for U.S. patents. This situation is improving, as patent depositories already have been provided with the Patent Abstracts of Japan series of CD-ROMs (including information from unexamined applications) and the PTO will soon provide similar information from the European Patent Office. Foreign patent information is available from several private online information vendors.

I will search these on a cost-recovery basis (i.e., the online vendor's charges, plus $25.00 to cover our costs). The cost of such online services can easily exceed $200.00, due to the vendors' high rates for patent databases. If interested, please contact me for information about coverage of these databases and their costs. As always, you are welcome to use our resources, and I encourage you to contact me with questions and comments about the UNR Libraries' Patent and Trademark Depository Library services. Patrick Ragains, Business & Government Information Librarian. (702) 784-6500, ext. 309. E-mail: ragains@admin.unr.edu Goto the bottom of page.

Welding with Water

Yep, that's right. The NIA members who went Saturday, December 6th, to the demonstration of welding, cutting, brazing, etc. with the use of water, were not disappointed. Those folks who demonstrated the product delivered what they promised. A product called "Brown's Gas." We saw a machine that utilized the electrolysis of separating hydrogen and oxygen from plain water, then caused them to "implode" with temperatures hot enough to melt tungsten steel.

The gas produced from the machine can be bottled and transported like any other welding gasses used today, but at a cost of half or less. The by-product is water or water vapor, instead of toxic or caustic gas! We saw a torch cut 2" thick steel, iron, aluminum and copper that left no slag to clean up and cut as smooth as any saw cut could be.

It was truly amazing. We also saw examples of dissimilar metals brazed together; aluminum and copper, copper and steel, etc. Because the machines are available already and the cost of the product is so much lower than existing acetylene gas, it seems likely that what we were witnessing is the future of metal welding and cutting, using gas. Goto the bottom of page.

Inventors Marketing Help

You've wondered about marketing a product or technology on the internet? In the January issue we will explore some of the companies that offer internet marketing of products. Some are catalogs for selling products and some are licensing groups that offer help finding a buyer or licensee for your patent rights. Now some folks don't have computers with modems for accessing the internet, but there are an awful lot who do. The inventors who have gone ahead and gotten their feet wet, so to speak, very definitely have an advantage. People are easier to contact, companies are more accessible and the information available is beyond belief. Plus it's instantaneous and inexpensive! There was a time when autos, planes, TV's and fax machines were considered too complex. But now look at how our lives are affected by them. Same thing with the internet. Better do it... Goto the bottom of page.

Late Flash From Vince

Speaking of the internet, a great example of the value of it for any organization such as ours just happened while we were talking about it (so to speak). Vince Chemist, our NIA Webmaster, (the guy running our internet web page), just sent me this via E-mail: Subject: Inventors' World Meeting, First Inventors' Olympic Games Date: Sunday, December 14, 1997 03:00

Dear Inventor and Innovator Friends,

We cordially invite your organisation (sic) to Budapest on the "Inventors World Meeting" on the 16-22 March, 1998. The world meeting includes the following events:
- WIPO - IFIA International Symposium on "Inventors and Information Technology" - Jubilee IFIA General Assembly
- Celebration of IFIA's Jubilee
- GENIUS '98 First "Inventors' Olympic Games"

We have organised GENIUS '96, a succesful exhibition and business event last year in march, that was a great sucess with 600 inventions exhibited from 20 countries, lot of visitors and business contacts. Our Association makes all efforts to ensure the best possible conditions for all participants with the support of the Hungarian Government. We provide 16 sqm carpeted exhibiting area with wall elements and lighting to display 8 inventions free of charge for all inventors and non-profit making innovators' organisations. Please send the application as soon as possible.

Please read our home page for more information about the conditions of participation, the events, the participating organisations and to send the applications by: (no date was included here but it's on the web page)
Best Regards
Andras Vedres, Secretary General
http://www.inventor.hu
(This is their home page. Please check it out. There is an amazing amount of information on it about not only the "World First Olympic Games" but all the inventions and patents for sale. Plus inventors.)

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Long Beach Show

The response for the "Invention Convention" at Long Beach in April has been less than overwhelming. Does this mean there aren't enough inventions ready for market in our group, or that the approximately $1,000 cost is too much? Maybe there just aren't enough market ready products to put together twelve people for the six booths.

Please give Don a call if you are really ready to show your product at an inventors' trade show, OK? 322-9636

NO MEETING IN DECEMBER

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