FRESH THOUGHTS: AREA INVENTORS PATENT THEIR WORK

Drawings like Pat Malone's and Jeff Smith's concept of a self-defense item for women often accompanied patent requests.

Fifty-seven patents have been granted to Cape Girardeau residents since 1977.

From a remote control for alarm clocks to a device for operating on the back of the human eye, from spatulas to bibs, cat litter additives to fire resistant insulating compounds, the people of Cape Girardeau have expressed their inventive notions, then protected them through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Brenda Seyer filed for a patent in 1984 with her husband, Jerome, who invented a billiards-type marble game. Brenda Seyer said they began patent procedures but gave up on the idea of marketing the game because of the cost.

"It was an interesting time back then," she said. "People didn't take risks like they do today. They didn't have the kind of information like they do now with computers."

She added that they might reconsider marketing the game now that more information is available.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office describes a patent as the right to exclude others from making, using or selling an invention. It is sometimes confused with a Copyright, which protects the writings of an author against copying, and trademarks, which are used in trade to indicate the source of the goods and distinguish them from the goods of others.

It can cost up to $5,000 for a patent.

Pat Malone and Jeff Smith, both of Jackson, circumvented some of the expense by doing much of the work themselves when they developed an idea for a self-defense device that can be installed in a woman's purse. The device holds a pepper Mace canister and air siren that are activated by a button on the purse's handle.

"The first patent attorneys we went through were Robbins and Robbins in St. Louis," Malone said. "They wanted $3,000 to $5,000 just to file for a patent. Most patent lawyers charged about $300 an hour."

Malone said he researched the process and applied for a provincial patent that protects his invention and allows one year for the application of a standard patent -- which has saved him more than $200 in filing costs.

Smith and Malone, who are both involved in martial arts, developed the protection device while teaching self-defense courses for women. Malone said many women carry Mace inside their purse, which would be too difficult to get to in the course of an attack.

"Every second counts," he said, adding that he and Smith are developing a prototype of the purse and hope to begin marketing it soon.

Charles L. Nenninger is a tinkerer who would like to turn that into a profession. He has developed a new mop head with entirely replaceable parts that he hopes to market through Wal-Mart stores beginning next year.

"I had a cleaning service and I needed to go out and get some mops," Nenninger said. "I didn't want to buy one of those old kinds because if they wear out or one piece breaks you've got to throw the whole mop away. That costs money."

He not only made the mop he made the equipment that he needed to construct it. He applied for his patent in August 1994 and received it in January. His product is protected for 17 years. His goal is to break into the mop market that sees more than 65 million mops sold every year.

"All I need is a million," he said.

Nenninger, who is also developing a banana slicer and a food tray that attaches to the shoulder harness of seat belts so people can eat in their car without dropping crumbs on their clothing, said you have to be certain that the item will sell before going through the time and expense of trying to market it.