Solution to Coffee-time Challenge

This institution specialises in creativity and innovation and has its own Innovation and Creativity Centre which boasts that between 2001 and 2007, it filed 632 patents and sold 56 of them. The ball collecting device consists of an assemblage of plastic rings, each of which is equipped with a rubber rim on one side, extending perpendicular to the ring. Rolling the device through the balls causes them to push past the rubber ring, which then springs back afterwards to trap them inside. The device can be rolled using a handle without having to bend down. When it is full of balls, it may be tipped on when end, whereupon the gathered balls fall into a receptacle. Gathering up balls takes only seconds and absolutely no skill is required to operate the device. It has won medals at two international invention fairs. Enquiries about licensing the idea should be directed to the Taiwan Invention Association or Dr Chen, Yu Gang directly. ychen@cc.feu.edu.tw