The winners of SEARCH for INVENTION 2002 will be announced Tuesday, October 29th at Hammacher Schlemmer's store in Chicago at 445 N. Michigan Avenue. The company in cooperation with PatentCafe.com will award a total of $5,500 in cash & prizes to the winners and display their inventions at their Chicago store.

This year's semifinalists were chosen from more than 200 entries submitted to Hammacher Schlemmer's independent product testing organization; range from an EZ Pour Bucket, a bucket with a unique handle mechanism that allows the user to automatically pour the contents with a squeeze of the handle; a Pet Locator, which allows an owner to locate a lost pet using GPS that notifies the owner directly of their pet's whereabouts without a third party service; a Solar Polar Rock-N-Roller, a portable cooler on wheels with a built-in audio system powered by a solar panel; a Door Answering Machine, a door mounted recording device that lets you leave both a personal outgoing messages and to receive private incoming messages from visitors when away from home; to a Cat Restrainer, an apparatus designed to safely restrain a cat during bathing & transport. (Please see the complete list of Semifinalists for more details).

In selecting its semifinalists, Hammacher Schlemmer searched for products in the categories of personal electronics, personal care, utilitarian home and garden, and recreation products that were designed to solve a common household problem experienced by most homeowners. Selected entries must also have been patented at the time of submission and submitted with an accurate prototype.

"The objective of this competition is to recognize the contribution that inventors make to our society, to encourage and support those individuals who take huge risks in order to turn their invention into a reality, and to help the inventor community showcase their wonderful inventions," said Bill Booth, President of Hammacher Schlemmer. "This year's group of semifinalists displays the same ingenuity and imagination for which Hammacher Schlemmer has been known for the past 154 years."

A panel of respected invention and consumer product experts will judge the 20 semifinalist inventions and select the winners. This year's panel will include:

• Ed Curran, NBC 5 Chicago & creator of Technogadgets
• Carol Rehtmeyer, Creator of the Toy & Game Inventor's Forum
• Cory Greenberg, Tech Editor for The NBC Today Show
• Danielle Serino, Consumer Reporter for Fox News Chicago
• John Picone, Inventor & Engineer
• Sara Fiedelholtz, Assistant Editor/ Features Chicago Sun-Times & Trendscout for WGN Morning News

Since 1848, Hammacher Schlemmer has introduced the American consumer to a long list of "inventions" that later became accepted as household necessities. It was on the pages of the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog that consumers were first introduced to such staples of the American lifestyle as the Pop Up Toaster (1930), Electric Steam Iron (1948) and First Consumer Microwave oven (1968). The tradition continues with the introduction of the Roomba^TM Sweeper/Vac, the first compact, affordable robotic floor and carpet sweeper.

In the 2001 SEARCH FOR INVENTION®, Tom Pasinski, inventor of the "Moveable Paint Tray & Glider" took home the grand prize for his round tray on wheels that glides across any surface without the risk of spilling the tray's contents. The tray is able to rotate in any direction and includes a dome-shaped reservoir that allows the device to be picked-up, briefcase-style and moved to a different room without having to empty and refill the tray. A native of Chicago, Pasinski, 37, developed the idea for his invention while painting the interiors of houses. He observed that common paint trays were messy and cumbersome to work with which inspired him to "build a better mousetrap".

The other 2001 winners included:

• Hook & Loop Hanger for Shower Curtain, Stephanie Eberhardt of Camden, DE in the Utilitarian Home & Garden category winner. This shower curtain and liner hangs from a Velcro® strip, allowing for quick removal for easy cleaning or changing of the bathroom décor.
  
  
• Child Emergency Locator (Herbie the Hydrant), Michael Lucas of New Windsor, NY in the Personal Electronics category winner. A standard clock and nightlight, this invention becomes a child locating device during emergency situations.
  
  
• Laser Fishing Rod, Wylie Wiggins of Independence, MO in the Recreation category winner. Internally illuminated by a laser, this fishing rod assists in fishing at night.
  
  
• Hands-Free Footcare Device, Pamela Brunderman, of White Plains, NY in the Personal Care category winner. A hands free callous exfoliation device for the foot, which can suction to a bath or shower. In previous years, winning inventions have been made available in the company's catalogs.
  

Several SEARCH FOR INVENTION® winners have been introduced to the marketplace through the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog. The Child Emergency Locator "Herbie the Hydrant", by inventor Mike Lucas and the TV Pedaler, by inventor David Delman were both featured in the company's Summer 2002 catalog. Additionally, the Electrically Adjustable Wrench, by inventor John Picone, 1999 Grand Prize Winner, will be introduced in the catalog in early 2003.

Hammacher Schlemmer is the nation's oldest catalog company in the United States, nurturing the spirit of invention for more than 150 years. The company publishes seasonal catalogs throughout the year and operates retail stores in New York City and Chicago. Hammacher Schlemmer can be found on the Internet at www.hammacher.com.

SEARCH FOR INVENTION® 2002 Semifinalists

PERSONAL ELECTRONICS

• Door Answering Machine

  Inventor: Donald A. Merte, Poughkeepsie, NY

  A door mounted recording device that lets you leave personal outgoing messages as well as receive private incoming messages from visitors when you are not home.

• Battery-Powered Remotely Controlled Floating Pool Fountain and Light Device

  Inventor: Noorolah Nader Beidokhti, Fountain Valley, CA

  A remote-controlled portable battery operated fountain with multiple spray and light patterns.

• Pet Locator

  Inventors: Jennifer Durst, Eugene Fowler, Joseph McAlexander, Dallas, TX

  A device that allows an owner to locate a lost pet using a Global Positioning System (GPS) that notifies the owner directly of their pet's whereabouts without a third party service.

• Sports Binocular Assembly

  Inventor: Tristam W. Himmele, Lake Worth, FL

  A hands-free combination binocular and radio that is worn around the head.

• Stroller Including a Motorized Wheel ("My P.A.L" Power Assisted Laborer)

  Inventor: Wayne Davidson, Valhalla, NY

  A stroller that can be pushed in a normal way or, by pressing a foot control can be motorized for help with hills and long distances.

PERSONAL CARE

• Knee Protector

  Inventor: Patrick J. Ferriter, New York, NY

  A knee protector that has the ability to reduce knee discomfort by cradling the knee cap in a soft, resilient "cup" as well as permit the user mobility when moving about while kneeling.

• Seat Suspended Between Crutches (J-Sling)

  Inventor: John E. Smith, Frederick, MD

  The J-Sling is a seat that is attached between 2 crutches that allows and injured user a place to rest.

• Multi-Purpose Cosmetic Applicator "Glamourstick"

  Inventor: Glenn E Hunsberger, New Hyde Park, NY

  An all-in-one compact cosmetic applicator of lipstick, eyeliner, and brushes.

• Cat Restrainer

  Inventor: Ruby Y Young, Kerrville, TX

  An apparatus designed to restrain a cat during bathing and transport.

• Method for Preparing Infant Formula with Dispensing and Filtering Means

  Inventor: Danny J Roberson, Euless, TX

  An appliance that dispenses filtered water for preparing baby formula without boiling that helps to eliminate lead in drinking water.

UTILITARIAN HOME AND GARDEN

• Multipurpose Adjustable Single Sheet Container

  Inventors: Richard, Bobby, Susie and Debra Kim, Aurora, CO

  A single box that lets users change its size and shape in order to better fit the contents.

• Pigtail Fastener

  Inventor: James Kocian, Stillwater, MN

  The Pigtail Fastener is a device that eliminates having to tie and untie knots in any kind of rope or line, without sacrificing the security for what needs to be tied.

• EZ Pour Bucket

  Inventor: David Babcock, Blue Springs, MO

  A bucket with a unique handle mechanism that allows the user to automatically pour the contents of the bucket with an easy squeeze of the handle.

• Angle Adjustable Retaining Wall and Fencing System (#6,293,523 B1)

  Inventor: Larry R Fendler, St. Louis, MO

  A system that allows that gardening enthusiast to build an adjustable fence that can also be transformed into a box or planter.

• Combination Air Conditioning System & Water Heater (Volcano Pool Heating System)

  Inventors: Mary Ellen Schad, Jay & Abe Schwartz, West Palm Beach, FL

  A system that transfers the heat removed from a home's central air conditioning to warm the water in a swimming pool.

RECREATION

• Portable Athletic Field Boundaries (Port-A-Field)

  Inventor: John Fredrick, Nacogdoches, TX

  A portable and retractable boundary line for field sports that quickly and clearly marks pre-measured dimensions without the mess of chalk.

• Suspended Christmas Tree

  Inventor: Richard D. Babcock, Sioux Falls, SD

  A collapsible wooden Christmas tree designed to be suspended in mid-air from overhead.

• Modified Wheels for Ice "Ice Wheels"

  Inventor: Richard L Alderman, Sun Prairie, WI

  In-line skate wheels specifically designed for skating on ice.

• Cooler Device w/Integrated Solar Power and Stereo System ("Solar Polar Rock-N-Roller")

  Inventor: Dwight J Sloan, Riverside, CA

  A portable cooler with wheels that also has a built-in audio system powered by a solar panel.

• Electrical Switch for a Wagon ("Power Wagon")

  Inventor: Michael Garrett, Orland Park, IL

  A battery motor-powered children's wagon that can be steered and driven using the handle, or used by adults to pull heavy loads.