Ideas for a design class...

[moparfreak]

So, I'm in my Senior Design class towards my Mech. Engr. degree with one semester to go at UofWisc-Madison...

We're starting to brainstorm for our main project for our design class. I was wondering if you guys had any good ideas. I'd like it to be something tool/garage/automotive/mopar related. My best one right now is a cordless drill-powered landing gear on a trailer.

It has to be something which can conceivably be designed and constructed w/ relatively minimal cost in a 3 month time frame.

Any ideas?

Adam

[dd44068]

The only thing I can think of is an 06 smasher= A giant spring loaded hammer in the back of a pickup. I could not resist,.

[last426]

How about an impact wrench driven hyd. jack with a smallish flexible driveshft?

Or a 500 lb. crane that fits into the square trailer hitch of a pickup?

I have a patented product that needs final electrical engineering and production sourcing -- maybe you could pass it along to anyone or any class.  Patent 6060987

[Dans 68]

Let me think on that. Way back when my M.E. senior project was the design and building of an automatic bouancy compensator for sport divers. It involved compressed air, ported stainless steel piping, teflon piston and o-rings. It didn't work worth a damn but it was a good learning experience.

Is your interest more towards engines or chassis? Tools? I'm guessing you have already talked to your advisor but have struck out on an idea. Go by the local SAE club on campus to get ideas (there had BETTER be one on campus). Good luck.

Dan
Class of '82, Mechanical Engineering
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

[BobH1968]

How about an impact wrench driven hyd. jack with a smallish flexible driveshft?

Or a 500 lb. crane that fits into the square trailer hitch of a pickup?

I have a patented product that needs final electrical engineering and production sourcing -- maybe you could pass it along to anyone or any class.   Patent 6060987

How did you go about getting a patent.   I'm also and engineering student looking towards picking up a few patents on some crazy stuff we have designed. What was the approx cost of getting a patent?  Have you ever made any money of a patent?

Bob

[moparfreak]

Here at UW, if you want to take out a patent, you go to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and they'll review it and let you know if it's a marketable product. If they like it, they'll write up the patent, cover all expenses, market the product, etc. You sign over the rights to them, but they pay you royalties.

If you want to do it by yourself, fees and legal can add up to many thousands, it's not easy.

Any more ideas? I'm drawing a blank...

Adam

[Brock Samson]

  http://www.newfreeenergy.com/

[last426]

How about an impact wrench driven hyd. jack with a smallish flexible driveshft?

Or a 500 lb. crane that fits into the square trailer hitch of a pickup?

I have a patented product that needs final electrical engineering and production sourcing -- maybe you could pass it along to anyone or any class.   Patent 6060987

How did you go about getting a patent.     I'm also and engineering student looking towards picking up a few patents on some crazy stuff we have designed. What was the approx cost of getting a patent?   Have you ever made any money of a patent?

Bob

Getting a patent is easier than many think -- the thing is doing it.   http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6060987.WKU.&OS=PN/6060987&RS=PN/6060987  I had this idea for many years.   Finally I got off my butt and called several big time IP law firms.   I settled on Flehr and off to the races.   Much of the work you can do on the Net now before going to the lawyer.   Of course you can also file a one year provisional patent.   I started to learn this area of the law but just didn't want to put that in my head for only one patent.   But I did think of one analogy that explains it.   The main things are the "claims" and they are like the metes and bounds of a survey delineating the exact boundaries of what you own.   Stuff outside the lines are open and free, inside and they infringe.   The cost at a top notch firm should be around 5,000.   I have not made anything from the patent as that was never my intention.   I might license it to a school or something but so far I am just delaying everything.   It's fun having "inventor" on the resume.   Kim

[moparfreak]

Hmm, so how about this idea?

A floor jack that spans the width of a vehicle and raises one end of the car at a time.

I envision a steel beam on lockable HD casters with either scissor or hydraulic bottle-type jacks at either end. The ends can be adjustable to accomodate vehicles of varying track. I'd like to have it be impact wrench or cordless drill driven.

Still needs to be developed but that might be my frontrunner.

[Ponch ®]

Getting a patent is easier than many think -- the thing is doing it.   http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6060987.WKU.&OS=PN/6060987&RS=PN/6060987   I had this idea for many years.   Finally I got off my butt and called several big time IP law firms.   I settled on Flehr and off to the races.   Much of the work you can do on the Net now before going to the lawyer.   Of course you can also file a one year provisional patent.   I started to learn this area of the law but just didn't want to put that in my head for only one patent.   But I did think of one analogy that explains it.   The main things are the "claims" and they are like the metes and bounds of a survey delineating the exact boundaries of what you own.   Stuff outside the lines are open and free, inside and they infringe.   The cost at a top notch firm should be around 5,000.   I have not made anything from the patent as that was never my intention.   I might license it to a school or something but so far I am just delaying everything.   It's fun having "inventor" on the resume.   Kim

wait..so can you patent an idea even if you dont know the technical specifics of how to make it work? I have an idea for something, and I know the technology is there to do it, I just wouldnt know how to do it myself.

[last426]

wait..so can you patent an idea even if you dont know the technical specifics of how to make it work? I have an idea for something, and I know the technology is there to do it, I just wouldnt know how to do it myself.

Ideas are what you are patenting -- that's the concept.  Kim