Tag: Home
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Automatic Candle Snuffers – Mechanical and Electronic
I just learned about these devices that are clever, simple, mechanical, and inexpensive — the automatic candle snuffer. As the candle burns to a certain level, the candle no longer holds up the piece that then flips down to snuff the candle. I bet it’s close to a 100% reliability rate? Some videos: Here’s a…
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Time to Change Your Toothbrush!
When the forces of commercial self-interest and of dental hygiene combine, how can it not lead to mistake-proofing? This toothbrush has colored bristles that become clear at the tips of the bristles through use. When it starts to look like the brush on the left, it is time to buy a new toothbrush. Planned obsolescence at…
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No More Marker on the Walls!
What could be better than a mistake-proofing device that increases sales by creating a niche in a commodity product category? Crayola is selling markers that don’t write except on special paper. No more blue, green, and red-fingered toddlers. No more ruined clothing. Nice mistake-proofing. Masterful marketing. GE essentially gives jet engines away in order to get 20…
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Shaved Ice, Not Shaved Fingers
Rival sells a shaved ice machine that spins the ice around, pushing the ice over a blade that shaves it into snow cone “snow.” Rival is very interested in NOT shaving any fingers. They have designed the “on” switch into the lid. You press on the lid to activate the machine. When you stop pressing…
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Garage Door Safety Stops
Well Designed garage door openers have two safety features that prevent people or pets from being crushed by a closing door: (1) a contact safety reverse feature, which opens the door if it hits a person or object, and (2) an infrared beam across the doorway that causes the door to reverse automatically if a…
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Preventing Washing Machine Hose Leaks
Substantial damage is caused when washing machine hoses burst while homeowners are away. The Saf-T-Smart valve kit detects when the washing machine is operating and opens the valves allowing water to flow freely. When the washing machine is off, the valves are closed, reducing pressure on the hoses and avoiding serious water damage (and returning…
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Never Use Cold Syrup Again!
Hungry Jack syrup has a small window near the bottom of the container that changes from black to clear when heated, revealing the word HOT. This signals that the syrup is warm and ready to serve.
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Keep the Wheelchair From Rolling Away
Correspondence from www.saferwheelchairs.com reports that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recorded 167 deaths due to wheelchair-related accidents from 1997-1999. Of these, 105 were wheelchairs rolling away from the person for one reason or another. The response? A mistake-proofing device that locks the wheelchair when no one is sitting in it. An unlocking lever on the…
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A Coffee Pot That Stops Brewing when the Pot is Removed
This automatic coffee pot is equipped with a “pause and serve” feature. The lid of the pot presses up on the button (shown below), releasing a valve that allows the coffee to pour into the pot. If you remove the pot before brewing is finished, the valve closes so coffee is not spilled. (A friend…
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Automatically Dripping Faucets to Avoid Freeze Damanage
When pipes are likely to freeze, the common practice is to open faucets slightly and let them drip. If you’re not home or just forget to leave the faucets dripping, you can cause significant damage to pipes and property. This device automatically opens a valve that discharges just enough water to avoid pipes freezing. Actuation…