$400 million. High-end range as of the year 2000 of estimated royalty revenues earned by inventor Lonnie Johnson for his Super Soaker invention. “In the 12 years since [inventor Lonnie Johnson] first got U.S. Patent No. 4,591,071 for the ‘squirt gun,’ as it is listed in official government records, more than 200 million Super Soakers have been sold. Revenue estimates for the gun range as high as $400 million. ‘Lonnie is the American success story,’ says Dick Apley, director of independent inventor programs for the U.S. Patent Office.” (Timothy Roche, “Lonnie Johnson,” Time, Sunday, December 3, 2000) Read about the fascinating story of inventor Lonnie G. Johnson.
$250 million. Sales revenues generated by the Slinky invention since 1945. “The Slinky is one of the top 10 toys ever invented, with sales topping $250 million since it first went on the market in 1945. … A mechanical engineer by the name of Richard James got the idea for this new toy when he saw a torsion spring fall coiling off a table, and then he turned to his wife, Betty, for a name.” Invention sales revenues. (Bob Edwards, “Profile: History of the Slinky, now being inducted into the Smithsonian,” NPR Morning Edition, February 2, 2001) In February 2001, Betty James, Slinky's co-creator, was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Learn more about Richard and Betty James and the invention of the Slinky.
$200 million-plus. Sales generated by inventor Lonnie Johnson’s popular toy product SuperSoaker. “Today's African American Hero is Lonnie G. Johnson. He is an inventor of thermodynamics systems for NASA and other organizations. … You may know him for a well-known toy called 'Super Soakers.' This popular water gun has sold over 40 million copies and generated over $200 million in sales since 1990.” Supersoaker. (Bangs Black History Committee in observance of Black History Month, “African-American Heroes - Lonnie G. Johnson,” Brownwood Bulletin, February 5, 2007) View video news story about Lonnie Johnson and his SuperSoaker invention. Discover books about Lonnie Johnson.
$200 million-plus. First year sales generated by inventor Lonnie G. Johnson’s Super Soaker. “First-year sales from the Super Soaker® exceeded $200 million. Subsequent revenues have yet to equal those heights because of increased awareness of gun violence. Negative press hurt sales, and revenues from the water gun are down to $70 million annually. The Super Soaker® has undergone redevelopment and expansion. The 15 models now on the market cost $10-$50." Supersoaker. Super soaker inventor Lonnie Johnson. Super soaker water gun. Who invented the super soaker? ( (Raelyn C. Johnson, “Soaking up the success. Entrepreneur Lonnie Johnson” Black Enterprise, November 1, 2001)
Are you looking for help with your invention? If so, Inventors Workshop, one of the nation's oldest nonprofit inventor assistance organizations that has been providing inventor help services for more than 35 years, may be able to help you out. You can contact them at Inventor-Help-Services.org, Or call them at 805-879-1729.
$20 million plus in royalties to the inventor of the Bowflex. “[Once] our company [Nautilus] commercialized his innovation, Mr. [T. Dosho Shifferaw] has benefited from more than $20 million of royalties during the [Bowflex] innovation's patent life.” How much does a successful inventor get paid? (Ron Arp, SVP, corporate communications Nautilus Inc., maker of Nautilus, Bowflex, StairMaster, Schwinn Fitness, and Pearl iZUMi brands cited in “Inventor of Bowflex home gyms,” East Bay Business Times, February 16, 2007)
$6 million in licensing royalty payments. Royalties earned by inventor Jerome Lemelson. for his audiocassette drive patent. “A decade later, a deal with Sony to license [inventor Jerome Lemelson’s] patent on an audiocassette drive mechanism earned $6 million. That technology paved the way for the Walkman.” Royalties on inventions. (Shelly Strom, Business Journal Staff Writer, “Behind every successful inventor is an attorney,” Portland Business Journal, April 15, 2002)
$2.5 million in royalties to the inventors of the Ghostline. “Barbara Russell Pitts and Mary Russell Sarao made their indelible mark in business with barely visible gridlines on poster board. Since licensing their Ghostline concept to Carolina Pad and Paper Co., based in Charlotte, N.C., six years ago, the sisters have raked in $2.5 million in royalties — while working from their homes in Plano. ‘We call it our mailbox money,’ Pitts said. ‘Every three months," Sarao chimed in, "we go to the mailbox and get more money.’” Plano sisters inventors. Royalty payouts for inventions. (Cheryl Hall, “Sisters who took an idea to market want to help others do the same,” The Dallas Morning News (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune NewsService), July 13, 2003) Order Barbara and Mary's book, Inventing on a Shoestring Budget)
$2 million annually. Annual revenues reported for inventor, Jim Boelke’s Cat Dancer invention. “Straight out of the Why-didn't-I-think-of-that file is the Cat Dancer, a revolutionary cat toy that generates $2 million in revenue per year and sells in 11 countries. Invented 19 years ago by Jim Boelke, a Cat Dancer is a piece of wire with strips of cardboard fastened to its ends. The toy is bobbed over a cat's head, sending it into a flip-filled, paw-raising jig.” How much money does an inventor get paid for an invention? (Dustin Block, “Wisconsin Inventor's Cat Toy Gains Popularity around the World, Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News, originated from The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis., June 9, 1997)
$965,000. Aggregate amount of licensing royalty checks awarded to LBNL inventor scientists in January 2008. “Royalty checks were awarded to [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory inventors] on Jan. 31 [2008]. Licensing income was up 11 percent this year, yielding over $965,000 of distributions for 110 scientists whose inventions and software were licensed by industry. The average distribution was $8,855, while the largest was more than $114,000. Over $2.1 million in additional licensing income will go to the Lab, primarily for research and development.” Royalty check recipients included Nigel Moriarty, Ralf Grosse-Kunstleve, Jian Jin, Petrus Zwart, Jay Groves, Fred Buhl, Paul Luke, Paul Alivisatos, Bill Kolbe, Michael Commer, Steve Holland, Ted Sun, Pavel Afonine, Christopher Elkin, Joe Orr, Len Pennachio. Second row: Cheryl Fragiadakis (Technology Transfer Office), Mark Modera, Paul Adams, Nick Sauter, John Clarke, Director Steve Chu, Wladyslaw Walukiewicz, David Humphries, Martin Pollard, Ender Erdem, Fred Winkelmann, Greg Newman. Front Row: Viviana Wolinsky (Technology Transfer Office), Jonathan Maltz, Martha Stampfer, KinMan Yu, Bob Nordmeyer, Derek Yegian, and Duo Wang. (Lyn Hunter, “Inventors Earn Nearly $1 Million in Royalties,” Today at Berkeley Lab, Berkeley Lab Communications Dept., Creative Services Office, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008)
$500,000 in sales revenues after only two years in business. “Wayne Willert, a Port Washington, L.I., roofer, is proof that a lone inventor can indeed market his own product. Mr. Willert's innovation is the gutter-bolt, which simplifies roofing and other construction work by allowing metal and wood to be joined in a one-step process. He started out in 1996, hawking his product to other roofers, homeowners and local hardware stores for 90 cents each. Now Gutter-Bolt Inc., a five-employee concern which Mr. Willert runs along with his roofing business, is selling a million gutter-bolts a year at 47 cents apiece through a large distributor that has gotten the product onto the shelves at Home Depot. The distributor's enthusiasm opened the market for Mr. Willert. “They bought 100,000 pieces to test market, and then flew me around the country to trade shows (to demonstrate it),” he recalls. With wholesale sales, walk-ins buying gutter-bolts at retail and 40 local contractors purchasing them via mail-order, the company hit sales of $500,000 after only two years in business.” (Marton Dunai, “More inventors try to market products,” Oakland Tribune, September 5, 2006)
$500,000 in licensing royalties. Licensing revenues earned by inventor, Franklin "Kansas City" Baker, for three of his inventions. “One Los Angeles inventor who's had the best of both worlds [licensing and manufacturing an invention] is Franklin "Kansas City" Baker, 47, who has created over 80 inventions and currently holds patents on 16 of them. His first successful product was the Ameri-Cart, a utility cart with a handle and retractable wheels that can hold items weighing up to 300 pounds. A chance encounter in 1981 at Los Angeles International Airport changed his life forever. ‘I was comparing luggage at the airport with the Ameri-Cart, which I had in my hand. A gentleman was passing by and asked about it. He got so excited, we set up a meeting for the next day,’ states Baker. The man was the owner of Beico International (714-799-1034; www.beico.com), a Huntington Beach, California-based manufacturing company with facilities in China. Beico exclusively manufactures and licenses Baker's automobile security inventions, the King Pin and the Trap, in addition to the Ameri-Cart, which has been on the shelves of Fedco and various hardware stores since 1991. Not only is Baker a client, he is also part owner of the company, and has received over $500,000 in revenues for all three inventions.” How much does an inventor earn? (Williams-Harold, Bevolyn, “You've got it made! (developing invention ideas),” Black Enterprise, June 1, 1999)
$9,700. Average size of royalties earned by NIH inventors in 2004. “Royalties earned in 2004 by government health researchers and their employer, the National Institutes of Health [NIH], for drugs, treatments and other inventions developed with government money: … Average size of royalty per inventor: US$9,700.) (The Associated Press, “Royalties paid to U.S. government scientists,” AP Worldstream, January 11, 2005)
$8,855. Average licensing royalty check awarded to LBNL inventor scientists in January 2008. “Royalty checks were awarded to [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory inventors] on Jan. 31 [2008]. Licensing income was up 11 percent this year, yielding over $965,000 of distributions for 110 scientists whose inventions and software were licensed by industry. The average distribution was $8,855, while the largest was more than $114,000. (Lyn Hunter, “Inventors Earn Nearly $1 Million in Royalties,” Today at Berkeley Lab, Berkeley Lab Communications Dept., Creative Services Office, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008) Find more information about Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and its research programs and history.
$5000. Licensing revenues earned in 2005 by Holly Baxter, inventor of Teeny Towels. “[Holly] Baxter came up with Teeny Towels - all-natural antibacterial wipes small enough to hook onto a key chain. The product is too similar to basic baby wipes to patent, but it's distinctive enough to package and promote. Last year it paid Baxter $5,000, and the product is likely to produce more in royalties this year because a number of large retailers recently agreed to carry it. …’Since they've been on the shelves, all I've done is walk to the mailbox’ to collect royalty checks, Baxter said. ‘It's like free money now.’” (Kathy Kristof, “Inventive parents can turn bright ideas into cash,” Houston Chronicle, February 13, 2006, p. 3). See inventor Holly Baxter’s Teeny Towels invention sold online.
$250. Royalty fee charged per procedure to Lasik eye surgeons using the IntraLase laser eye surgery technology. “Many LASIK surgeons do not offer IntraLase, partly because of its expense. The equipment costs $450,000 and doctors must pay royalty fees of about $250 to the manufacturer for each procedure. Fees are also paid to laser manufacturers each time a doctor performs LASIK, even without the IntraLase.” (Karen Garloch, “LASIK: Reward of clear vision not without risk,” Portsmouth Herald, Knight Ridder Newspapers, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Thursday, March 18, 2004) What is the cost of Lasik eye surgery?
Very few inventors can retire on their inventor royalty revenues. “I can count on one hand individuals who can retire on their patent royalties.” (Rick Martin, partner, Rick Martin, P.C., “Obtaining a patent can be worth the costs involved,” Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology, February 4, 2002)
