Whether it’s communication device he designed for the NSA he refuses to speak about or the clip-on magnetic sunglasses he won’t stop talking about, Bret Howell takes great pride in the success of his many inventions spanning the last 3 decades.
A creative by nature and an expert by effort, Howell has recently decided to expand his passion for design with the founding of Kuhl Products.
A turnkey operator experienced in every step of the production process from idea to marketplace, Howell is seeking collaborators, dreamers, and innovators.
Bret Howell developed an early interest in engineering and design as a young kid but was quickly discouraged thinking that modern day inventors probably all worked for NASA or Apple. As he educated himself in the field, he learned that nothing could be further from the truth.
Invention stems from necessity
Products are designed to fill a void. The more people who suffer from this void and would benefit from a solution is what determines the success of any particular project. Howell has made large profits off of minor adjustments to common products such as adding a patented “nylon spine” to knee pads for increased mobility and a wing nut head to zip ties so they can easily be removed by the twist of a finger.
For example, Howell recently heard a friend complaining about how much he hated changing the CO2 cylinders at his pizza parlor (necessary for fountain drinks) because of the caps. Removing the cap meant dealing with a fiber washer, rubber band, and threaded enclosure that the business owner said was a huge pain. An eternally curious problem-solver, Howell sought out manufacturers and his suspicions were correct… not only were the caps difficult to get off, but it also took a very tedious and expensive process to get them sealed on. He went to work immediately and designed a cap that pleased both sides of the complaint, an improved designed that did away with the manual installment of the rubber band and a nylon washer with more flexibility than fiber to create a firmer seal. Patented in 2018, they are now found in most restaurants across the nation and everywhere else CO2 tanks are used.
