What does Intellectual Property mean for small businesses?
Each year on April 26th the world celebrates Intellectual Property Day. This day is a way to congratulate those who make our lives a little easier because of their creations.
For small businesses and the self-employed, your individuality sets you above everyone else. The benefit of having the right type of intellectual property stops people stealing or copying your products and inventions. Some protection is automatic such as photographs or written words which are copyright.
Protection you need to apply for include:
Trademarks (product names) – 4 months
Registered designs (all aspects of a product’s appearance) – 1 year
Patents (inventions like machines or tools) – 5 years max
We at Direct365 deal with a wide variety of washroom products and services. So it comes to say that we decided to take a look at 5 of the best washroom inventions.
Top 5 Washroom Inventions
1.The Humble Toilet
The toilet is often thought to have been devised by Thomas Crapper, who’s company Thomas Crapper & Co is still around to this day. However, the invention was devised by John Harrington in 1596 for his godmother Queen Elizabeth. The poet turned plumber for his patent on a constructible cistern.
2. Liquid Soap
Even though used earlier in the 1800’s, it wasn’t until August 22, 1865, that liquid soap was patented by William Shepphard. Listed as “improved liquid soap” he mixed conventional hand soap with deer horns to create a thick consistency. The demand came later when the invention found itself in households. Liquid soap beats hard soap any day with the lack of sudsy residue the latter always leaves behind.
Our Sapphire soap dispenser pictured here offer an attractive fit to any modern small business washroom.
3. Hair Dryers
Invented by Alexandre-Ferdinand Godefroy in 1888, the first hair dryers were hooked up to a heating device that would surround a woman’s head. The original hair dryers lacked airflow which made them clog up with dust and dirt. Now, these devices are much more efficient and paved the way for intricate tools such as hair straighteners and curlers.
Our Valera professional hair dryer pictured here has a lifespan of 2000+ hours, with multiple heat settings to suit any preference.
4. Sanitary Towels
Sanitary towels were invented by a Kimberly-Clark a US firm when on their travels they discovered a material more absorbent than cotton. The invention was originally used as a field dressing in World War 1, while Red Cross Nurses found it’s benefits for personal use.
Pictured here, our 100 bulk pack Elise sanitary towels will fit in all sanitary vending machines.
5. E-Bin and E-Changer
Finally, the pinnacle of sanitation and child-care. The E-Changer baby changing table designed by Direct365 was created to provide the highest quality for parents baby-changing needs. To complement this, the E-bin allows a discrete use of the bin with no visibility of its contents. Collect, remove and dispose of all nappy waste.
This bundle is perfect for small businesses alike. It’s sanitation at an affordable price.