EB-
Want to get into the business of supplying a simple part to the US Govt for the HMMWV? I invented it in Iraq, used it in my gun truck for 14 months, and it not only worked flawlessly, but improved safety and combat mobility for myself (and whomever happened to borrow my truck that day).
I was going to run it through the Army's suggestion program for a paycheck, but I used two other ideas as a test... They are only there to steal ideas and claim the one you submitted has some fatal flaw in the design. Those other two ideas are now somehow in use in Iraq and Afghanistan today, even though I was told by the .gov they wouldn't work.
Since you own a machine shop, you could turn out the kits for under $20 each (materials and time), yet sell them at the tune of $50+ x eleventy-billion HMMWVs (well, not that many, but you get the point).
Wanna try? If not, how should I go forward marketing this idea?
>>>*Let's see...eleventy billion times $30..?? *Hmmm, Carry the one...
Dang.
I am listening, email me direct. I won't swipe your idea and I love to work on new stuff. Even if I can't I might be able to help you find someone who can, I know a good design engineer that fixes my mistakes, too.
*Seriously, exclusives work, when a company produces an item for someone, and that one line is in the agreement, that company cannot manufacture for anyone else.
(Sometimes they do anyway which makes me crabby...*LOL**)
Of course someone else could and with good ideas that happens roughly 100% of the time. Of course that also happens with Patents, then it is court cases and jillions spent and sometimes..maybe...a person collects 15 years later and if the patent owner is very lucky they have enough left for fries with their big Mac. A quick look at a certain folding knife tool maker in Portland will tell that story. He has sued EVERYONE for Patent infringement and there are STILL Chinese copies on the shelf at Walmart.
The way I do it is jump in, advertise, sell fast, get the goody, then run. Prices tumble, it gets to be too much trouble, move on to the next idea. Branding is neat, my *EB widget is much better than Joe's *JB widget if presented correctly, actually, usually is too because I hate cranky phone calls.
That really does work, get in, get the goody, get out, go fishing.
Hit me with it, I will listen....*EB
