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In September 2013 Wheels24 reported on four Hollanders who have invented a new gearbox that, they said, would change the automotive industry - one that needs no oil or maintenance and has no cogs.
The gearbox was developed and patented as a revolutionary 'Controlled Rotation System' with a simple design, doesn't require lubricant and saves fuel because it lacks friction between the gears. It claims to be a sustainable technology.
Wheels24 reader PETER ALLDERMAN writes: The sad thing is that most patents never see the light of day. Also, the widest application of a patent mostly occurs after the protection expires. Inventors are often the biggest hindrance to their idea achieving the biggest audience at the best price, and so maximising the return.
A huge profit per unit but multiplied an infinitesimal small number doesn't equal a good return. Often taking a much smaller per unit profit leads to a way bigger ultimate return.
It would be interesting to know what happened to UJ's Prof Alberts' super-thin solar panel that was going to solve our electricity problems once upon a time.
The gearbox was developed and patented as a revolutionary 'Controlled Rotation System' with a simple design, doesn't require lubricant and saves fuel because it lacks friction between the gears. It claims to be a sustainable technology.
Wheels24 reader PETER ALLDERMAN writes: The sad thing is that most patents never see the light of day. Also, the widest application of a patent mostly occurs after the protection expires. Inventors are often the biggest hindrance to their idea achieving the biggest audience at the best price, and so maximising the return.
A huge profit per unit but multiplied an infinitesimal small number doesn't equal a good return. Often taking a much smaller per unit profit leads to a way bigger ultimate return.
It would be interesting to know what happened to UJ's Prof Alberts' super-thin solar panel that was going to solve our electricity problems once upon a time.