- Tell us something about yourself, your background:
My name is Denny Palmer. My wife & I have 5 kids & have built 5 houses. I cannot remember a time when I was not inventing or tweaking products for my own use. At age 13 I changed my bike by replacing the wheels with ski’s so I could ski down the mountain with a bike. The first time I tested the product I found a few problems.
At age 23, the very first product I invented & patented, was for plumbing. I was an apprentice plumber and wanted to solve the problem I was having in the “Testing of Drainage Waste & Vent (DWV)” The problem was plumbers were getting wet when they released the water pressure test.
My idea was a plastic disk that could rip out of the pipe, similar to the “orange juice” packaging lid. We have been selling the Palmer’s Rip Plug, since 1985.
Later, I was trying to teach my wife to ski. I noticed the movements could be replicated in a machine. I didn’t own a welder or know how to weld. I found a small welder for sell at Costco, with a teaching video. That is how I got started welding steel. I built a machine that worked the lateral muscles. Moving side to side, & up & down, at the same time. I created about 10 different versions of that product. One of those versions, we signed a Licence agreement with an infomercial company which sold over 2 Million units in the USA. The same machine was infringed upon, sold over 15 million units world-wide.
- Can you list the products you have invented with a brief explanation of each:
1985 – “Palmer’s Rip Plug” – Plumbing Testing Device (2 Patents)
1994 – Ski/Skate exercise machine / Lateral “Twist Stepper” (1 Patent)
1996 – Thigh Glider – exercise machine for the inter & outer thighs (2 Patents)
2007 – Slender Pocket – A hidden, fabric pocket, for your bed or chair to hold your remote controls & glasses.
2007 – Abdominal Exercise device (2 Patents)
We have 3 more products right now, hoping to launch them in the next year (more patents to come).
- How/Why did you start inventing. What set you off?
First, I identified a problem. My goal is to find the best way to solve the problem. I knew I wanted an injected, plastic part but I knew nothing about that process. A friend, told me to go to a “plastic injections company” to ask them what I would need to do. That was my next step. We made a single cavity mold to get started.
- How did you get from idea to finished product?
Once we started selling the Palmers Test Plug we upgraded to a 4 cavity mold, for a better price. We now sell this product in the USA, Canada & Australia
- Website: Click HERE
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