When local neurosurgeon Dr. John Cowan is not busy operating, he is inventing. Recently, he visited our Creative Technology and Design Thinking class to tell us about his latest invention The Flip Table.
The inspiration for this invention came from his children Jack ('23), Tommy ('24), Grace ('26) and Charlie ('29). Dr. Cowan stated, “My kids were driving me crazy flipping bottles all the time and everywhere.” This frustration led to a challenging new idea and he decided to invent a way to bridge the children’s love of bottle flipping and the frustration from adults who hate the noise bottle flipping makes.
Dr. Cowan, his wife, Dr. Annie Cowan, and their four children started brainstorming and creating. The process began with writing and sketching every idea and then using materials they had at home to develop prototypes.
As an inventor, Dr. Cowan says, “I try to look at anything and say 'how could I do this better?' and I try not to let the way things have always been done stop me from working on something new”.
His passion for inventing began as a small child visiting his grandfather’s barn where he stored a variety of materials. Dr. Cowan built bicycles and robots, and he learned the importance of trying and failing. Currently, he has eight official patents in the medical field and five pending patents for The Flip Table invention.
During his visit, he also shared information regarding how to create prototypes, test your ideas, and work with a patent lawyer. I learned how important it is to document everything you try and to include the date, time, and your signature. If you have an opportunity to meet with a patent lawyer, this information will be invaluable.
Dr. Cowan explained the entire process of how The Flip Table became a product sparked from an idea. His first prototypes were designed in a CAD program and then 3D printed. He decided plastic or cardboard would not work so he began thinking about PVC boards. His friend Phillip Gaines, the owner of HI-Tech Signs in Rome, uses PVC boards for printing and Dr. Cowan knew he had the supplies needed to create The Flip Table. Together, they explored different shapes and sizes and eventually decided on their current design. Dr. Annie Cowan invented the logo, and together they created the packaging. When you purchase a Flip Table game, you will receive a sticker and a small book allowing his family to spread the gospel. A portion of the proceeds from each sale
You can learn more about the Flip Table at thefliptable.com. There are three different types of tables, and two allow you to play “Flip-Tac-Toe,” a game similar to the game Tic-Tac-Toe.
We appreciate Dr. Cowan taking time out of his busy schedule to teach us about his latest invention and his process for creating.
