Inventive Concepts and Their Problem-Solution Statements

• Author: Ronald D. Slusky
• Pages: 335-344

APPENDIX A

Inventive Concepts and Their

Problem-Solution Statements

The following is a sample of inventions for which United States patents

have been granted over the past hundred years or so. Each invention

is represented by a statement of its inventive concept and a problem-

solution statement (both drafted by the author). A claim from the issued

patent is also presented.

Ammonia Production

U.S. Patent 971,501—Fritz Haber et al.

Inventive Concept:Use osmium as the catalyst in combining nitrogen

and hydrogen to make ammonia.

Problem-Solution:The problem of producing ammonia at a low tempera-

ture and as quickly as possible is solved by passing gases containing nitro-

gen and hydrogen over a catalyst containing osmium.

Claim: The process of producing ammonia by passing gases containing

nitrogen and hydrogen over a catalyst containing osmium.

Fuel-Propelled Rocket

U.S. Patent 1,103,503—Robert H. Goddard

Inventive Concept:Keep the fuel for a rocket in a casing that is separate

from the combustion chamber.

Problem-Solution:The problem of enabling a rocket to carry a large

amount of combustible material while keeping the weight of the rocket

as low as possible is solved by successively feeding portions of the mate-

rial to the combustion chamber from a separate casing containing the

supply of combustible material.

Claim:A rocket apparatus having, in combination, a combustion cham-

ber, a casing containing a supply of combustible material, and means

for successively feeding portions of said material to said combustion

chamber.

335