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Buzz & Press
In Our Mail
- With all the sketchy things you have to deal with in a public restroom stall, at least you won't have to worry about someone barging in on you during a delicate time or having to invent a new yoga pose while you struggle to pee AND keep the stall door closed anymore. -Jeney P.
- The first time I saw the Stall Stopper, I thought it was the greatest idea ever. I can't wait until they are available for purchase. I will definitely be buying one. -Kim C.
- Totally love your idea and the simplicity of the design. Can't wait until this is on the market! -Holly
- I would love to purchase several of your "Stall Stoppers". What a fantastic idea!! I'm amazed no else has done this yet. PLEASE put this on the market soon - I need one!! -Debbie
- I really would like to have your item. I thought it was a great idea, and would certainly sell well. Please let me know when & where it is available. Thanks! -Debbie N.
- Have already told several friends about the Stall Stopper and would like to buy a bunch when they become available! -Katrina D.
- I love your Idea. I can't wait for it to be For sale! You should have been in the winner of the show! My family was sadden when you were not the winner or in the top 4. -Joyce H.
- I don't need the whole kit, but I would *definitely* buy one of those clips -- and I think most of my friends would, too! No more trying to pee while holding the door shut in a busy public restroom. woo-hoo! -Katharine
- I was so bummed when you didn't make the finals. There is a need for your product and I can't wait to buy it when it is available. -Jill
- Way To Go Sharon!!! As soon as I saw you and your product on the show, I WANTED and NEEDED it! I'm a mother of five and was so impressed with your wonderful product. Where can I buy it??? God bless you and your retirement! -Cindy S.
- The kit is nice, and one will certainly find a home in the glovebox of my car, however, I'm especially interested in buying the restroom door clip for my purse. I don't know about the rest of the country, but in Washington and Oregon we have an awful lot of stall doors that don't have locks that work... -Edith O.
- I can not believe this product has not been decided the winner of the show. WHO has not walked into a public bathroom and not been afraid of someone walking in on them or catching something on the way out. In today's germ phobic society, without a product like this, we all would need to carry a roll of paper towel, a bottle of sanitary cleaner, a roll of toilet paper, and our own soap. I personally hope to see this product and the refills next to the cash registers at ever major grocery store, Kmart, Wal Mart, etc.. I am not sure if any of the men on that show have used a public restroom, but they should be aware that in the REAL world most men's public restrooms are a wonderland for germs and disease. Most men are like wild animals in these rooms, spraying waste everywhere like they are marking territory. God forbid there not be a lock on the door because some vandal broke it off and you are caught with your pants around your ankles. Please find a way to get this product off the ground and running. Let this woman put this product out on the market and make some profit from her genius idea. -Robert
- I would buy your products today if they were available! You're a genius! -Karen
- The minute I saw your product I knew I wanted a least a dozen! What a perfect and practical item. -Angela M.
- I have seen your product on American Inventor and thought it was the greatest invention of all time. I would desperately like to purchase a couple for myself, family and friends. If you have any of the original model, I liked those much better! A simple solution to a huge problem! Way to go Sharon! -Dori B.
- I think this is a great idea and definitely want to purchase one. I can't tell you how many times I have been in a public restroom and the lock has been broken. Trying to hold the door shut with my foot is not easy. I also like the idea of being able to hang my purse on it as well since many times there isn't a hook to keep it off the floor. I wish I thought of this myself! -Robin S.
- Another tough point of why we would want this, is motherhood. Having the triple challenge of a small child with you in the restroom and if there is a door problem, if makes it all the more frustrating! Good luck and Women want your product! -Jana W.
- I love this invention... hope to see it on store shelves soon! My friends and I will buy it! -Molly M.
- I would buy 10 of these survival kits for myself, my kids, and gifts and I think it would be great for marketing to put other company's name on it. -Lucy C.
- I thought you should have been the big winner of American Inventor -- yours is definitely the only product I would buy! -Angela M.
- I thought you were robbed. When they first showed you, I already wanted one. In the course of my life, I estimate I could have used one of your clips at about 50% of the times I've used a public restroom - no matter how long-end or high-end the restroom was. Thank God you got the chance to develop it and get more exposure.
I want to chance to buy your product. I'd buy quite a few of them and use them as gifts. I think you came up with a great, useful idea. Since you only have to buy the clip once or so, maybe you could continue selling the products in the kit, in the size needed. I know I would use them.
Thank for your bravery and confidence in coming forward with your idea.
When you get these into mass production, please let me know. You can count me in as one of your buyers, as well as anyone else that will listen. I'm sure when people see me use it, they'll have questions - and I'll have answers. - I can't wait for this to be available to purchase! I hope they'll be available for Christmas, as it will be the top gift I give out to my friends! -Michelle A.
- This is a must for anyone who has ever tried to keep the restroom door closed and not touch the toilet seat! -Terry A.
- I thought your invention was the most practical. Even as a man, I have been in the same situation — a stall that doesn't lock. I would like to buy several of them. -Steven W.
- Such a simple solution for such a BIG problem! Most of the bathroom stalls I have used have broken or ineffective door locks. It's mortifying to have someone walk in on you in such a vulnerable position, and nearly equally embarrassing to accidentally walk in on someone else! I hope this product will be in the hands and purses of every woman in America VERY SOON! -Hilary B.
- This will be great stocking stuffers for all of my female friends and family. Please get to market soon!!! -Vicki G.
- LOVE LOVE the idea of the Keep It Tidy Stall Stopper!!! Please contact me as soon as you are selling!! -Carla M.
- The market is in desparate need of this product! Please produce it as quickly as possible with refills available as well....you don't know how many times I have needed one or more things from this kit. it would be a Godsend! -Paula H.
- I think your product is fantastic. I loved it as soon as you showed it. I thought of every concert, sporting event, airport restroom, that I have been in where I was trying to keep the door closed while juggling purse, coat, carry on bag. I plan to buy one for every female member of my family and I'll give one to all the male airline travelers I know. -Nancy D.
- I really love your product, and would purchase a couple today if I could. Many of my friends would also purchase one. I think of your invention everytime I have to struggle in a public bathroom. I would prefer to buy the clip alone, with maybe a small package of tissues that would fit easily in my purse, instead of the large kit. I could never carry the large kit in my purse. Keep me updated on future sale possibilities. -Jill
- I can't wait until your product is available. We have three stalls in our restroom at work. They are not aligned properly and anytime someone opens one of the side stalls, the door to the middle stall pops open. It is so frustrating and annoying.
- Sharon, I'm ready to buy your invention! P.S. I hope the new version is no bigger than an eyeglasses case. I liked it in its earliest form with just the clip and the small Kleenex pack. -Melissa C.
- I saw your product on American Inventor and thought it was GENIUS! I think they didn't choose it because it probably didn't need $50k worth of improvement. Please let me know when I can buy the Stall Stopper! -Sara
- I can't believe you didn't win. I would love to have this product. I can't count the number of times that I have been in a restroom where the locks don't work. I was talking with a group of women at one of meetings and we just love the idea. We can't wait for it to be avaliable. -Cynde
- I was at an outdoor music festival last weekend and in a large crowd of people, the only facilities available were portable outhouses. Of course, by mid day the TP was gone, and the "sanitation" was pretty questionable! While waiting in line I mentioned I wish I had "one of those Restroom Survival Kits from American Inventor" and you should have heard the conversation explode! You have the market, and we're ready when you are! -Deb H.
- When I saw the show, I thought yours was the most useful of all the products. -Karen
- I've been waiting for the Keep It Tidy kit to go on the market so I can buy one! Everyone I've mentioned it to wants to buy one, as well! -Mitzi S.
- I really wanted this product to win on the American Inventor show, mostly for selfish reasons. I want to buy one NOW! All the restroom stalls at the building I work in have issues with their locks. It's also always a challenge when my kids need to use public restrooms. It's so frustrating. Please get your product out on the market as soon as you can. -Myia
- I am hoping that your product will be available soon as I have talked about it a million times. I feel that YOU are the true American Inventor and can not wait for your product to come to market. I want to buy them by the dozen for holiday gifts and grab bags. Your product fills a need that every woman has when using public restrooms. You are often the topic of conversation now when I am using a bathroom in a restaurant or night club and I hope that by talking about it, I am promoting you when the product does launch. -Stacey B.
- Your invention is amazing. I have often went into a bathroom and walked out because the stall doors did not have any locks on them and I didn't have anyone with me that I trusted to hold the door closed for me. Ecspecially as a woman, we value our privacy in the restroom and with your product, we finally have a real way to feel safe, knowing that someone can't accidentally or purposely walk in on us. I can't wait for your restroom door clip to be on the market so I can buy one for myself and for other people I care about. -Alicia
- Since seeing the show I have commented many times on how nice it would be to have a Stall Stopper! It's amazing how many restrooms you go to where 2 of the 3 stalls have broken locks and there's a long line - imagine the time savings in women's restrooms if everyone had one of these!!! -Heather D.
- I am really in need of your product. I can't wait until it is available. Yesterday I used a public restroom. The door wouldn't stay closed. I had to use my foot to push the door closed so no one would walk in on me. And then I had to lean my head against the door just so I pulled my pants up without an audience. This is something that happens often and I am so sick of it. -Michelle T.
- What a GREAT invention. When my mom and I watched the show, we both agreed that this is a saving grace to all women who have suffered through incompetent doors in bathrooms. It's definatly a women's product, and I would buy it tomorrow if it were put on the market!! Can't wait. -Jo
- I want this product. I was hoping that you would win the American Inventor because your product was one of the more original ones in the group. Please let me know when the product is available in stores. -Laura C.
- Your idea is outstanding! I really hope that your product will be out in the marketplace by Christmas! -Annette K.
- Love your product and couldn't help thinking how useful it would be with children using facilities. -June
- I am always traveling with my husband to foreign lands. Even toilet paper at times is at a premium...Please get you product to market....I had hoped you already had. I leave again in 2 weeks..If you have any ready to ship I'm interested.. Best of Luck with it. -Jan D.
- I have been in so many bathrooms lately where the stall door won't stay closed. I need your Stall Stopper now! -Mandy W.
- I would like to say that I love your product! Every family is going to want if not need the Restroom Survival KIT.
For nearly the past six years I have bringing a pack of toilet seat covers and toilet paper almost whenever I go into a public place, just to prepare myself in case these restrooms lack such amnesties. Because I primarily place my toilet seat covers and toilet paper primarily in my pocket, I believe having such a kit would make carrying such items more convenient.
Let's face it. Even though people are either too afraid and/or embarrassed to admit it, using a restroom or bathroom is part of everyday life. Since not all public or portable restrooms are created equal, it is important to be prepared with the Restroom Survival KIT.
I know that the product is designed with women and children and mind, but what about the men? Don't men also sit on a toilet, although not as frequently as women, to use a restroom? I believe the KIT will be beneficial to everybody, whether be men; women; or children.
Sharon, I would like to thank you for inventing such a product with other people in mind. I hope your product does very well and ultimately makes you a millionaire. One thing I will say is that you have a potential customer right here.
Good luck and I hope to see your product on retail store shelves sometime within the near future. -Wyatt F. - When I first saw the show, I knew I had to have one! I keep looking for it online. Let me know when it become availible! Its Genuis! -Coral
- I saw your invention on the show, I know its been awhile now, but my husband and I were just talking about your product. We found your web site and I am curious if you have any more information about when it will be available. Also, when it is available to sell, will I be able to purchase it being in Canada? I love your product and I know many members in my family would as well. I hope it is available soon! All the best to you. -Sarah
- Will you have your product ready before Christmas? I would love to give a few out as Christmas gifts. -Debbie N.
- Can't wait to buy one! -Stacey R.
- I have a daughter in 1st grade who rarely uses the restroom at school for fear of the door coming open or the lock getting stuck. I need this product yesterday!! There is a six year old who is at school now "holding it". This will assure her that she is in control of when the stall door opens. -Lisa
- I don't know how many times I have needed your product since the show. -Beth M.
- I have a stomach condition that requires me to use public restrooms in almost every building I go too. I need this product. I think so highly of your invention I would buy one for every person one my Christmas list. Melissa G-B.
- From the second I saw your product I wanted it. Like I'm sure you've heard from nearly all the MEN, my husband thought it was the dumbest idea, so now every time I have to go into a public restroom I tell him in what way your product would come in handy. I also have a 5 year old who wants to be independent. Sometimes she forgets to lock the door, the lock isn't exactly lined up correctly, it is just to hard for her, or it's missing, so often times I have to stand and hold the door until she is finished. Every time I think of your product. When it becomes available I will not only buy one for myself I will also buy one for ALL the women in my life. I love all of the improvements to the product - still simple yet it's everything you need. WHAT A GREAT IDEA!! -Heather
- I've been anxiously waiting for the Stall Stopper to be available! When I saw it on the show I was just floored with how perfect the whole idea is. Men just have no idea! Every time I go into a stall with a broken door I think about it. I don't know a single woman who wouldn't want one! -Valerie C.
- I have been waiting for this product. I went looking for your website in hopes that I could buy it for family and friends for x-mas gifts. Please market these as soon as possible. The world has been waiting. -Karen S.
- I've been waiting to see your product appear for sale, and I'll keep waiting for it! Please include me on your list of interested parties for updates, because I want to be able to get some for me, my mom, and my sister as soon as they are available.
I'll admit that the Stall Stopper is really the part I am most interested in. I'd bring the rest if I were going on a road trip or something, but I'd only carry the Stall Stopper in my purse on a regular basis. All of the other items are already available. If it costs a lot more to include the other items, I'd think about that. I realize now you have a whole kit and design now, but if it prohibited the sale of the main draw, it's something to think about.
That said, the Stall Stopper is a genius product. It's a rare occurrence to go into a multi-stall public bathroom and find that every one locks. Thank you for trying to offer the world a product to solve the problem! -Tiffany - I say stick with the "original"
it is what it is and its not overdone.
I would purchase that in a heartbeat for my family. Being small and compact and stopping the door would be my primary concern and need. Good Luck -Sandra M. - I have wanted your product on the market the moment I saw it on American Inventor... In fact, I know many of us were hoping for it to be out Christmas time and then we said "Hopefully Valentines".. well no luck yet, but we are still keeping our fingers crossed. Just today I had a restroom door malfunction at work and my first thought was, "Darn, I wish I had the stall stopper to keep this door shut." Please hurry and get it out to us! I know we are in huge need of it!!! -Coral
- Please----tell me where I can get your stall stopper. Where I work, we could use them, I have told a few about your product and they are very interested in it. Thank You -Mary
- We need your product now!! Recently I stopped at a Rest Stop and of course the restroom doors were broken and would not latch. I saw you on American Inventor and really hoped your product would win. After I left the restroom I told my husband that I could have really used your door latch.
I hope it will be available soon, I know I will buy at least 10!! -Cindy B. - I think your idea is brilliant. This was the MOST practical and useful item that I saw on American Inventor. I will buy a kit for every woman I know! -Michelle V.
- I was wondering when your product will be available in stores? Having come across yet another broken public restroom door today, it made me think of your product, so I came online to see if it was available yet. Please let me know when it will be in stores. What a great idea!! -Robin
- I don't know what those guys are thinking. They stand at urinals and don't have to worry about doors, so they just can't relate. Your product is a no brainer. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to keep the door shut with my foot. Sometimes, it's physically impossible, or at the very least, it's awkward, to reach the door from the toilet. You have a simple solution to a UNIVERSAL problem faced by women every day. Keep after it, girl! -Julie A.
- I really want to buy this product and so do my friends!!! Someone please help her get it on the market. -Jennifer L.
- I've been wanting one of these since the VERY FIRST episode of "American Inventor"-that restroom stall clip will pretty much count as one of the handiest things EVER!!!!! -Tricia
- I have a 4 year old girl who I take to public mens rooms all of the time when we are out. We all know how disgusting these restrooms can be. Most of the time these restrooms do not have toilet seat covers, and sometimes no toilet paper at all, so I really worry about her having to use them. Having your product available to me would make this experience less stressful and safer. -Mark C.
- While your product is great for broken doors, I could also see it being very valuable for parents of young children. While in the stall with me, my toddler quickly figured out how to unlock the door. A couple of times he dashed out of it while I scurried to cover myself and get a hold of him at the same time. Having your clip on the top of the door would keep him from being able to open it. In order to protect my privacy (and son), I would use your product EVERY time I visited a public restroom. -Shanda C.
- After watching Season 2 of "American Inventor," I remembered your product from Season 1 and searched you out on the Internet. I can't wait to buy one for myself and several for gifts! -Laurie R.
- I can only believe that men don't have to deal with the situations that women find in restrooms all the time or this product would be mass marketed today! Every woman can use this product and I can't believe that someone isn't smart enough to take advantage of this opportunity. What an awesome idea! -Jeannette C-L.
- If it were to go to the most marketable invention, I'd have a bathroom clip right now. I really needed it yesterday.
- The only thing I liked in the whole series was the bathroom clip.
- I liked the bathroom door clip best of all. It's the one thing I want to buy...
- The original clip, in a smaller container that contained a bit of emergency TP, would be perfect! Love it, and would buy a few of them...
- Totally agree that the bathroom clip was the invention that should have gone on.
- I think the wigliner lady and the bathroom clip woman will have their phones ringing off the hook tomorrow from people who want to make their products.
- I hope she gets the bathroom clip on sale, and soon, before someone else does it.
- I liked the earlier bathroom clip better. This one looked flimsier IMHO, though the hook is a nice touch.
- Sharon - Get a patent and produce this item. My daughter and I will at least 10 of them. Don't be discouraged, it's a great invention.
- But what I really want to know is... do you know anything about the gal w/the public restroom door holder?! Because I want to buy like 20 of them, yesterday! Seriously.
- Here's the web site for the bathroom door clip. It sounds like it might be possible that it will go to market. I want one too!
- I wish that this show had done a "Viewer's Choice" where we the viewers got to vote back in one of the inventions that the judges had eliminated. I think the bathroom clip would have been a shoo-in!
- There is a remarkably charming and capable woman who invented a multi-million dollar idea: a clip that keeps ladies' room doors closed. The judge tells her to turn it into a whole "bathroom kit." Then when one of the other judges complains that she went too big with the concept, judge #1 stays remarkably mum. Still, she should be very proud, she out of all the contestants on the show was the most professional, and I think she stands to make the most money.
- I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that The Headliner and the Restroom Door Clip will advance to the final four.
- Sometimes it's the simple things that sell the best, but the judges don't seem to share my opinion.
- Restroom Door Clip -- This is the last item I'd put in the top three. This is such a simple product that is cheap to produce and easy to carry. If it doesn't make it here, it'll make it elsewhere.
- I am completely all over the Occupied Bathroom thing. Great idea, and it looks like it would be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and purchase. I would totally buy it.
- The bathroom door thing rocked. That is an awesome idea that would sell.
- Three cheers for the restroom occupied clip lady. I think this is the first item on the show that's genuinely a good idea, and something I can imagine a fair amount of people might buy. Thankfully, the inventor is one of the few people on the show who seem to be well-adjusted. It was too bad that they had to push the human-interest part on us anyway, but I guess they have no other way to fill an hour.
- I would so buy the bathroom door thingie. I think that judge's adding on to the estimate was still on the conservative side. I would use that thing all the time.
- The bathroom door thing rocked. That is an awesome idea that would sell. I'd buy that, use it, and be glad I was carrying it.
- I just wanted to add something about the toilet clip thing. Anyone who's a Mom & has had to take their kid to a public restroom could use that. If your kid is old enough to go in the stall by themselves, but the lock doesn't work or they can't get it to lock then you end up outside with your arm going numb holding the top of the door for them. Not to mention you may not want them to lock it because they may not be able to get it unlocked & then you have to crawl under the door to let them out. That clip thing would totally change that whole process. Fantastic invention & I must know where to get one.
- I think it's a nifty invention, but why stop with women? I'd bet good money that men's washroom doors are broken more often than the ones in women's washrooms.
- I seriously want to buy about a dozen of the bathroom door things and give them to everyone as stocking stuffers next Christmas. It would be a life-saver, especially when I take my daughter into a public restroom.
- As far as stuff I'd buy, I'm waiting for the release of that restroom door clip!
- the bathroom stall clip (genius!)
- I still love the "occupied" clip you put over the door in the Ladies Room (how many times has the (*&"% door flown open the second someone enters the restroom?). I'd pay for one of those.
- I think the invention is absolutely genius and I'd buy it in a heartbeat...
- I think that this is brilliant.
- If she's axed, I still have the hope that someone, somewhere will help her get that thing off the ground. because I still want one.
- I am AMAZED at how many stall doors are non-functioning (in every variation possible) in ladies bathrooms, in both lower-end and higher-end establishments. It's very frustrating. And in a HEARTBEAT I'd have purchased that invention.
- If for instance there is an invention that I am very interested in purchasing (*coughrestroomdoorclipcough*), but if it does not make the cut...will there be information on how to go about getting one (or more)? Or will we have to camp out at Ebay or something of that sort?
- And that leaves Doug with the restroom clip, the spherical child seat, and flushpure. That's tough because I like both of the first two
- Honestly I think public bathroom lock lady might have the best shot from this week's batch. Perfect example of a simple solution to a common problem. Even if the door lock is not broken you could put the device on there for a little added safety. And she showed some practical thinking by attaching it to the tissues. Smart lady.
- If I'd had my druthers, the bathroom stall door clip would have been in the top 3.
- Is it really true that 30% of women’s bathroom stall doors are broken? It seems more like 97% to me, but maybe that’s because the public restrooms I use are predominantly at dive bars.
- Where can I get a bathroom lock NOW? I have been in countless bathrooms across the US and there is often one or more where the door does not completely close. Maybe this is not an issue for men, but it is a big issue for women, especially at venues that do not have many stalls to begin with. We want privacy, and this invention works! It doesn't have to cost much to be successful. I would buy more than one myself.
- The lady that came up with the device that holds a stall door closed is a genious! I could have sold millions of those for her last weekend. I happened to be at a concert and don't you know that not one of the bathroom doors worked and I ended up having to act like a contortionist just to go and hold the door closed too! Yes it is truly sad to know that most of the doors in womens bathrooms are broken.
- The yellow door lock invented by that lady was not the greatest Invention we've seen so far but its very, very marketable. This is why she was passed to the second round.
- So far my favorite invention for both shows is probably the bathroom door closer.
- To get us out of the slump, next, we met Sharon, who had created a simple, smart invention: an "occupied" sign that keeps broken women's restroom doors shut securely. It's small enough to fit in a purse and can even be wrapped around a travel pack of tissues to save space. It's clever, and as the sole woman on the panel, Quinlin immediately saw the potential. The other judges agreed. If it were at the right price point, I could see most women carrying one — and it'd be an excellent promo product for women-oriented companies.
- Bathroom door holder — Everyone loves this idea, and so do I. Such a basic idea to solve a common problem, and well executed.
- I used the public restroom door latch thingie in my dream last night.
- I would like to know how to get one of the Restroom Stall closures aired on the 3/23 AI show. As a woman, I agree that it is a needed product for any woman to have in her purse. I didn't catch the inventors name or what she's called the closure, but I want one!! Thank you!
- To the lady with the restroom stall closure. I would like to know how to get one. What a great idea! Every woman needs to have one in her purse.
- Why didn't one of us think of this? She actually is marketing it? Good for her! The lady was on American Inventor and I thought that was a great idea. Glad to see she has it out there already.
- The lady with the door thing, I would love one! I swear, everytime I go into a restroom, the handle on the door is borken and this in a a restroom with one or 2 stalls. I've had people walk in on me. Is it only the ladies room that is like that?
- I liked the lady with the restroom door holder, too. I don't know if I'd want the whole "restroom survival kit," though -- I wouldn't want to carry that around for every excursion. I can understand fior this program's purposes they needed to expand on her idea. But I can see those little holders selling individually.
I do think the whole survival kit is good for traveling though. My folks are 1,000 miles away, and we usually take road trips to be with them. You never know what you're going to find -- or not find -- in bathrooms when you're traveling. - Not only is it great for when the lock is broken, and not only is it a handy way of keeping tissue on hand for the times when there is no toilet paper, but picture this scene:
Mom with just-potty-trained toddler in public bathroom. Mom lets the newly trained child go to the bathroom by his/herself. Mom is outside the stall. Toddler locks the door, gets on the seat aaaaand then needs help.
Please, I can't even tell you the horror of having to crawl under the door of a public bathroom because the kid couldn't unlock the door. If I had this clip with me, I would be able to just clip it to keep it shut, and not rely on the lock at all.
I'm telling you. Genius. - Ok, so I'm a bit of a reality TV junkie. I have my key favorites, and a very limited TV time budget, so I don't watch ALL of them. Yesterday, the American Inventor caught my eye, and on it is the restroom door clip. This device is a product of pure genius.
To me, it seems so simple, yet, according to Sharon Clemens, over 50% of restroom doors in ladies public washrooms have locks that are broken, missing or simply don't line up. I mean REALLY how friggen hard can it be to install a door lock and have it acutally LOCK? Or, here's a concept - FIX the broken locks! Further to this, the doors, when not locked swing open at random. Or worse, people just bust in mid-pee.
And ladies, I know we have all mastered the pee-with-one-foot-holding-the-door-shut technique, the have-the-friend-stand-guard trick or the wait-until-the-stall-that-locks-is-freed-up method, but NOW we have a solution that fits conveniently into the average handbag. Sharon Clemens, currently on American Inventor has invented the restroom door clip. This handy-dandy device simply slips over the top of the door, slides over to catch the partition, and even has a cute little "occupied" sign on it. WIth a quick slide of the clip, the restroom door is secure.
Brilliant.
This woman is going to make a gazillion dollars, cuz I bet there isn't a girl alive who wouldn't see the benefit of this contraption. - There was a TV show last year - I think it was a summer replacement sort of thing - about amateur inventors. The prize was money and help in getting the winning invention marketed. One woman (who we thought should have won) had invented a device that kept stall doors closed in public washrooms. For some reason those doors often end up getting damaged or knocked off-centre somehow and many of them don't close properly or at all. Her device was about the size of a pocket-pack of Kleenex and fit over the top of the stall door - I'm not exactly sure how it worked, but it did. It also had a hook on it for hanging up purses (although I suspect my always-too-loaded backpack would have been too heavy for it). I hope she ends up finding a way to produce and sell these gadgets because I would definitely buy one!
- A woman on "American Inventor" has come up with the greatest little invention. It's a restroom survival kit that includes a stall stopper to keep the door closed when the lock is broken and also has an extra clip for your purse when there's no hook or shelf to put it on. She's having trouble finding a manufacturer (must be all men) but I'm certain that at some point, she'll find a way to make these. Check it out and send her your feedback at www.restroomsurvivalkit.com
- NWAnews.com: WHAT'S IN A DAME : Mother of inventions: That 'Clip':
All the women — and even some of the men — I know who watched the show agreed that the unpretentious invention of Clemens, a 63-year-old retired sales associate from California, was American Inventor’s most useful and worthy entry.
Her Restroom Door Clip is merely a tiny plastic clip that could be kept in a purse or briefcase and then attached to the top of a public restroom stall in the event of a broken door that won’t stay shut.
Simple. And genius. Who in America couldn’t relate to such a product? - OC Register: Huntington woman on American Inventor
- OC Register: 'Inventor' wants to leave her mark
"I am very proud of myself," Clemens said. "The biggest part is yet to come." - OC Register: O.C. woman eliminated from 'American Inventor'
- OC Register: Inventor looks ahead
- Entrepreneur.com: American Inventor: Episode 9
- Entrepreneur.com: "Since I'm not a judge, I get to state my favorites, which all made it to the final 12: the Sackmaster 2000, the Restroom Door Clip and the Spherical Safety Seat."
- Product Wiki