TIA Inventor: Martin Skinner and the Koil Kaddy

Inventor Profile:

Martin Skinner is a retired patent agent. He auditioned for the Everyday Edisions television show that appears on PBS. Martin made it through the initial stages of the audition but was not selected to be one of the featured inventors on the show for the second season. He was featured as part of the intro to the series for season 2.

Martin is an avid gardner. He also likes using coiled hoses. He invented the coil caddy to make the coiled hoses even more convenient to use.

Contact Marting Skinner at 865-376-6894

Patent Information:

Title: Helical hose and caddy combination

Issue Date: March 3, 2009
Patent Number: 7,497,400

Invention Info:

A helically coiled hose is a wonderful garden aid. It can be extended up to 25 feet, or more, for use and then retracted to less than 3 feet. However, where do you store it? If left on the ground, it creates a tripping hazard. Also, if you want to move it to another location, it must be dragged along because its flexibility makes it difficult to pick up.

The garden supply people suggest a wall-mounted basket. Getting the hose into the basket is like wrestling a snake. They offer other solutions in the form of a staff projecting from the wall onto which the hose is threaded. With both devices, storage of the hose can be accomplished in only one pre-selected location. Further, when the hose is stored on either of these devices, the excess water within the hose must be drained previously or the handler may get wet!

In contrast, use of the Koil Kaddy^TM is a simple way to store - and move - the hose. With the hose is on the ground, simply thread the coil caddy shaft through the coils of the hose until the end of the shaft protrudes from the opposite end of the coils to provide a handle. Then lift the Koil Kaddy^TM into a vertical position. This automatically drains out residual water. Then the hose and the Koil Kaddy^TM can be moved to any location for storage, whether it is another location in the garden, in the garage or in a storeroom someplace.

To remove the hose for use, just put the unit horizontally on the ground and withdraw the shaft from the hose coils.

This is a simple solution to the storage of helically coiled hoses. Try it, you will like it. The Koil Kaddy^TM is available in kit form with very simple assembly instructions. Two versions are available. One version is made of PVC pipe and the other version is made of flat plastic that easily disassembles for convenient storage.