Development team produces award-winning shovel
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Sheffield Hallam University product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
May 14, 2003
A client of Sheffield Hallam University's Product Development Team has won the 2003 British Female Inventor of the Year award for her strain-busting Lite-Lift shavings fork and paddock shovel.
Tish Fearn, a client of Sheffield Hallam University's Product Development Team, has won the 2003 British Female Inventor of the Year award for her strain-busting Lite-Lift shavings fork and paddock shovel, designed to make lifting easier.
Fearn, who was born with one hand and suffers from tendonitis, came up with the idea after tiring of the daily effort required to muck out the stables at her sanctuary for mistreated horses.
Fearn, from Wetherby, picked up her award at the Global Women Inventors and Innovators Conference at London's Cafe Royal.
The Lite-lift fork is designed to evenly distribute the weight of any object being lifted, reducing the chance of back, neck and arm strain and repetitive strain injury.
The shaft bends at optimum points in order to greatly reduce the users need to bend.
There is also a second handle that can be positioned for users who are tall or short and left or right-handed.
The fork is extremely light and has an aluminium shaft that can be used with different heads including a hoe, rake, brush or mop.
Fearn approached the Product Development Team in the School of Engineering with her initial concept, and the team undertook the design and prototype work and helped find manufacturers for the components needed.
The fork was launched in October 2002 and is now available in nearly 300 stores across the UK and is sold in the USA, Australia and across Europe.
The team are now working with Fearn to develop new products to expand the range.
This is the second year running that one of the team's clients has won at these awards.
Last year Margaret Wood, of Wakefield based ICW Windows, received a runners up award in the Women Inventors in Industry category for her innovative window system, designed for buildings, buses and trains that can be opened by touch - ideal for elderly and disabled users.
Over the last 15 years the product development team has completed more than 2500 projects.
Last year the team assisted Leeroy Brown with his air-powered car jack invention that can be plugged into a cigarette lighter - winner of the Consumer Award at the prestigious BBC's Tomorrows World Awards.
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