Frequently Asked Questions

• What sizes, colors, or quantity of rubber bands may I use to make my invention?
  
  You can use a variety of sizes or colors or quantities of rubber bands to make your invention.
• Does the invention have to consist of rubber bands alone?
  
  No, rubber bands may be used with another product or products, but rubber bands should be a primary component of the invention.
• Is this rubber band competition open only to science classes or science projects?
  
  No, this competition is open to any discipline.
• How do I get started?
  
  Here are some categories to get you thinking about inventions: Apparel, Household, Automotive, Lawn/Garden, Construction, Media/Software, Cosmetics, Medical, Crafts, Music, Creative Packaging, Quality of Life Improvement, Education, Safety, Entertainment, Sports, Furniture, Textiles, Games, Toys.
• Are some people allergic to rubber bands?
  
  In rare instances, people who are allergic to latex may react to rubber bands. If in doubt, please consult your physician.
• May I receive help and input from my friends, family and teachers?
  
  No great inventor works alone. While the main concept and the bulk of the work associated with dreaming up and putting together your invention should be your own, we understand that bouncing ideas off parents, friends and teachers is normal and often necessary. We just ask that you let us know who worked with you throughout the process and that you make sure to let your own ideas shine through.
• Who invented the rubber band?
  
  In 1843, an English inventor named Thomas Hancock, sliced up rubber bottles to make elastic threads that were used as garters and suspenders. The usefulness of these elastic threads was limited because they would crumble in cold weather. A few years later, an English inventor and businessman named Stephen Perry would use Hancock’s elastic threads as a starting point to create a rubber band made of vulcanized rubber. Perry patented the rubber band on March 17, 1845.
• How are rubber bands made?
  
  According to the Alliance Rubber Company website, making a rubber band is a lot like making a loaf of bread. First, you mix up the dry ingredients –color, additives to give it long life, and the "active" ingredient, sulfur, which brings about the critical chemical process of vulcanization. Vulcanization actually cross-links the rubber molecules into a strong chain, giving rubber its stretch and strength.
  
  Next, the dry ingredients are added to the rubber in a large mixer called a Banbury, named after its British inventor, Fernley H. Banbury. In the Banbury, heat builds up from the friction and chemical reaction as the rubber mixes. When it reaches 250 degrees, the 500 pound ball of dough is dropped onto a giant rolling pin called a mill. The mill cools and rolls the dough out into sheets which are then split into strips and fed into a pressing machine called an extruder. The extruder pushes the dough out in a tube form, like a very long garden hose. This tube is then heated to finish the vulcanization, rinsed, cooled, and cut into bands at speeds of up to 3000 bands per minute.
• Will I get my invention back?
  
  Upon written request, all devices will be returned to their inventors (at their expense) within 6 months of submission. Students retain ownership and rights to the design of their rubber band invention.
• Where can I find more information about rubber bands?
  
  To find more information about rubber bands, you can visit the following websites:
  
  http://agpa.uakron.edu/p16
  
  http://www.rubberband.com/customer-service/fun-trivia.html
• Where can I find more information about how inventions are patented?
  
  http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/kidprimer.html