Client Spotlight – Dnoodle: A New Twist on Spillproof Technology

The Product?

Are you a chronic drink spiller? Dnoodle is here to help.??

The invention by MBIP clients Scott Tarratt and Kristy Tarratt provides a spill-free drink holder through use of aerospace magnets combined with UV-resistant polycarbonate, stainless steel components, and durable 3M adhesive.??

Based in Queensland, Kristy and Scott came up with the idea for the drink holder during a 2019 expedition to Keppel Island. They realised that there was a way to improve the experience of relaxation and enjoyment on the water and set to work on a device to do just that, persisting through challenges including component connection issues, a lot of research and prototypes, and even a life-threatening health condition for Kristy, to bring their product idea to life.??

Physically, the Dnoodle is made up of 2 parts: a permanent base that attaches to a flat surface – such as your desk, boat, float, or car dashboard – via the adhesive, and a cup base that attaches to the bottom of your favourite drink vessel. Both these parts are magnetised, so that when you set your cup or drink bottle down on the base, they are sturdily connected and your drink will remain upright, even if bumped.??

While these magnets ensure that drinks cannot be easily spilled via an accidental knock, they are also unique in the way they separate. Rather than requiring a forceful jerk, a twisting motion instead realigns the magnets so that the two parts repel each other. This ensures smooth twist and lift motion is required to separate the parts rather than a yank, and your drink remains safely contained in the cup, keeping your computer equipment, floor, and lap safe and dry.??

Dnoodle just launched commercially recently, and we are excited to follow Scott and Kristy’s success and the new, creative, and useful products they come up with in the future.??

IP Protection: Using Both Designs and Patents?

MBIP Principal and Patent Attorney Jeremy Moller has been assisting Kristy and Scott with patent and design protection. The IP protection story of the Dnoodle illustrates the way that designs can be utilised in conjunction with patents to protect both the appearance and functional aspects of an invention.??

Design registration can often be overlooked, but for some products like the Dnoodle, it can be highly beneficial. While design protection applies to the distinctive visual aspects of the design, not the technical process underpinning the way it works, in some products the physical form of the device can form a key aspect of its function. For example, the Dnoodle’s round shape allows for the easy twisting motion which releases the magnets on the drink holder. A registered design can also stop competitors from making a direct copy of a product – even one that is largely functional and whose value does not rely purely on its appearance.??

As well as design registrations to protect the appearance of the product, meanwhile patents are used to protect the actual invention – such as a device, substance, method, or process. In the case of the Dnoodle, it is a device being protected. MBIP has filed a provisional patent for the way the two sections of the object separate via the twist-attract-twist-repel function of the magnets and obtained a registered design for the unique appearance of the Dnoodle.??

See also: Jeremy’s article on how trade mark and design registration can be combined to strengthen your brand.

Do you need an effective, well-rounded IP protection strategy for your invention? The team at MBIP can help you plan your approach to defending your IP. Contact us today via our Book a Meeting form, call our office on 07 3369 2226, or send an email to [email protected], and one of our attorneys will be in touch.