Tor Magne Nilsen from Kvinesdal in Agder has recently been granted a patent for his invention which will reduce paint spillage and waste.
In many ways, the invention can be described as a combination of a paint bucket and a painting board into one unit.
Today, a rugged paint tray with a small container is often used to spread the paint onto the paint roller. The tray stands on its own, and you have to pour the paint from the bucket the paint was bought in and into the container.
Nilsen's invention combines bucket and tray in such a way that you dip a roller into the paint in the bucket, roll the paint roller a couple of times over the rollers on the paint tray to distribute the paint outwards, and then start painting. Surplus paint on the board then flows back into the bucket.
Long maturation period
Nilsen is a plumbing engineer by profession, and over many years in the plumbing industry has seen the challenges painters have had with paint residues and spills on construction sites. He has also worked as department head in the municipality with responsibility for, among other things, building maintenance, and saw the same problem there.
The solution he has now arrived at has had a long maturation period.
"I like to do things, and when I discover that something can be made easier, I want to see if I can do something with it," says Nilsen about the motivation behind the invention.
Nilsen is described by friends as a skilled craftsman and a man who finds solutions to most things. Those who know him are probably not surprised that he finally found a solution to the problem.
The product development has mainly taken place at home in the garage, and the testing has taken place, among other things, by working on our own property, painting and staining.
— I have tried to connect several types of paint pails and painting boards. I used the materials I had available. Professionals would probably have smiled if they had seen some of the models I had along the way, chuckles Nilsen.
- Absolutely crucial with a patent
By securing a patent, he not only protects himself and his own invention, but also the possibility of financial recognition for the work he has put in, says director of the patent department at the Norwegian Industrial Property Office, Bjørn Lillekjendlie.
Lillekjendlie believes Nilsen's invention is a fantastic example of how individuals can make valuable contributions to society, and solve specific challenges through innovation and creativity.
– This contributes to the diversity and dynamism of the innovation ecosystem. In an increasingly competitive world, this is absolutely crucial, says Lillekjendlie.
Bjørn Lillekjendlie
Bjørn Lillekjendlie
IP (patents, trademarks and design registrations) not only provide legal protection for ideas and products, but they also facilitate securing the exclusive right to exploit and commercialize inventions. This is particularly important for small and medium-sized companies that want to gain a competitive advantage and increase their market value.
Driven forward by friends
During the development process, Nilsen has been in contact with various companies about the idea. The feedback he received was mostly that it was a little early in the process for them. They wanted to have something more tangible to assess, such as him getting a patent.
He has received motivation and support to keep going from acquaintances who he has learned about the ideas.
Now that Nilsen has a patent in hand, he is not quite sure what will be the way forward. He does not yet have a finished product, and due to health challenges, Nilsen fears that it may be difficult to get the product onto the market himself.
"It would of course have been fun to be involved in the process until the product is hopefully on store shelves, but the most realistic thing for me is probably to try to get others to take care of the next phase," says Nilsen.
He will therefore try to find actors who have the resources to take the product further so that painting work can be done with less mess and irritation in the future.
- I'm happy anyway, but it would have been nice to get this into production. I have spent both time and money to obtain this patent and it feels good to have arrived here, but the goal is that the invention will be found in the shop and that I will at least be able to cover my expenses, concludes Nilsen.
