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Self-contained automatic water overflow prevent-er: Hendrix RightAmount™ Valve
High potential product-line seeks entrepreneur, manufacturer or plumbing distributor for profitable long-term relationship
Every home and business needs at least three of these units, so the market potential is huge. Margins are high and capital equipment investment low because it can be built from off-the-shelf components. A US patent allows you to keep out competitors and knock-offs for 14 more years. This exclusivity enables higher margins, greater volume and building a brand valued by investors. Buy the rights or pay for success through reasonable royalties on wholesale sales.
Plumbing fixture overflow prevent-er pays buyer dividends
Water damage is the largest category of property insurance loss. Leaking plumbing fixtures contribute their share to the financial losses suffered by homeowners and landlords. Even with insurance there are deductibles and renovation is inconvenient and time consuming. Today's homes have refrigerator ice makers, upper-floor clothes washers, and toilets that can overflow hundreds of gallons in just an hour. Hoses and tanks break or rust through. Children can mis-use an appliance. Our busy lives mean we are not home to monitor our plumbing 24/7/365. Leaks are unsanitary and can lead to "slip and fall" injuries and legal liabilities.
Now there is an automated shut-off valve that limits water flows to levels that don't spill on the floor and which does not require electrical wiring. It's like a smoke alarm for leaks, but is even better because it stops the fire before it causes any damage. Battery power is safe as there is no electrocution hazard that household current poses and the cost of an electrician is avoided. A homeowner or plumber can install it.
How this useful innovation came about
A Texas utility worker suffered over $30,000 in damage to his rental duplex when an upstairs toilet got plugged up and the flow continued flooding the room and leaking into the unit below while the tenants were at work. Hardwood floors and plaster walls had to be replaced and costly mold mitigation was needed. The tenants had to live in a motel for two weeks at the landlord's expense. Neither was happy about it.
A common-sense businessman, he searched for a device to prevent such a costly flood from happening again. He searched plumbing and hardware stores with no luck. Nothing on the Internet either. So he sat down and designed a solution--the automated overfill prevention valve.
Now water flows can be limited to safe volumes so ice makers, coffee makers, water softeners, water heaters, toilets and all other plumbing fixtures with a predictable period of flow when they are automatically filled by their "dumb" valves. Flooding by inattention or malfunction is prevented. Our homes, offices, apartments, hotels and stores are laced with pipes of pressurized water waiting to flow through an opening in the system.
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Hendrix internal-powered automatic overflow prevent-er valve applications and design illustration
How does it work?
The Hendrix RightAmount™ automatic overflow prevention valve is simple and reliable. It senses when water is moving through the line and starts timing the flow. The sensor options include motion detectors and pressure change detectors. If they flow exceeds a user-set standard period, the valve automatically closes and stops the flow until the user resets the control. After the flow is stopped a periodic audio alarm or digital voice message tells the user that the valve is shut and to check the fixture for a problem before resetting the control. This is especially useful for children and occupants unfamiliar with the units plumbing. The unit has a override button so if a user wants to keep a flow going longer than usual they can reset the cycle as many times as they wish.
Hendrix advantages over competitive solutions to in-door water damage prevention
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Design Feature
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Hendrix RightAmount™
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Flow Detective™
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FlowManager™ Toilets Only
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Whole House Systems
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FloodStop™
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Stops flow before water hits floor
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Yes
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No. Alarm only, no auto-valve
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No
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No
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No
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Electrical outlet or "hard wiring" not required
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Yes
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AC recommended
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Yes
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No
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No
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Audio spoken message when flood prevented and fixture repair and reset needed
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Yes
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Spill only prevented if user is home to and responds to alarm
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Loud alarm but no direction to responder
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No
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No
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User override
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Yes
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No
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No
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Yes
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No
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Adjustable safe-flow timer
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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No
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No increase in electricity bills
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Yes
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No as recommended
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No
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No
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No
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Battery-powered for safety and retrofits
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Yes
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Optional but not recommended
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Optional but not recommended
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No
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No
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Battery-low alarm
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Yes
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No |
No
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No
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No
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Battery-low light
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Yes
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No |
No
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No
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No
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Extended battery-life
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Yes
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No
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No
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Varies
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Yes
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Reset button
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Yes
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Yes
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Multi-step process
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Yes
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Multi-step process
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Single model for all types of fixtures
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Yes
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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Connects to standard water supply lines
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Yes
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No valve, alarm only
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Reliable solenoid valve closer (no motors)
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Yes
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No valve, alarm only
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No
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Varies
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No
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Free of hard to clean sensor in toilet bowl
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Yes
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Yes
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No
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Yes
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No
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Retail-friendly price
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Yes
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$32
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$82
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$800 to $1,500
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$145
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| Never affects water flow to other fixtures or the whole building |
Yes |
Yes, alarm only |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
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Digial flow period display
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Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Distribution Channels
Hardware stores, home improvement centers, plumbing supply houses and websites are good outlets to make this innovation available to buyers and to make buyers aware of this solution through retail displays and product stocking, advertising, retail salespeople education and incentives. Large volume orders can be solicited from apartment and commercial building management companies which manage 100 to 100,000 units each with two or three overflow prone fixtures. The product may be exported to other countries to expand sales and later improvements patented in other counties.
Marketing allies include plumbing contractors, building inspectors, architects, and home repair bloggers. Pay-per-click web ads and search engine optimization will introduce this product to those searching for a solution to this problem. Insurance companies are allies as the product reduces their losses and keeps their rates lower for their clients. It is a waste for society to pay for preventable damages. Water-spill service companies that vacuum up water and place dehumidifiers to dry out a property are also a potential distribution channel, as their customers have just experienced the need for this product.
Manufacturing
Product design and manufacturing experts have reviewed the Hendrix innovation. They found that all the components needed to make the device are available commercially today. Multiple vendors offer the parts so bids will be competitive and supplies more certain. This reduces the cost and time to market for the licensee. The reliability of the components are well-established so a long warranty that appeals to professional buyers can be offered. It is estimated that a unit could be manufactured for under $6.00. This would enable a retail price competitive with alarm-only systems and less expensive that leak-sensor products and still leave a nice profit for the licensee.
A company without assembly capabilities may out-source production in the US or Asia. A competent mechanical engineering firm can prepare drawings and specifications for final products. Rapid prototyping using 3-D printers lowers the cost of testing and going to market. The patent covers several alternative designs and components. The product line can include two or three plumbing connection options and perhaps a version for very large pipes. A plastic housing makes sense.
Next Steps
This product needs an entrepreneur, manufacturer or plumbing distributor to take the opportunity and run with it. Product development is straightforward. Gaining distribution is always a challenge for new products. Those that already have distribution or relationships with manufacturing representatives or online stores will have an advantage. Some investment in molds, inventory and marketing materials will be required but it is well within the means of a retired executive, serial entrepreneur or division of a company. The need for this product is not a fad. This market will remain and grow for decades to come.
For more information call Clyde Hanson at 612-418-1192
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