At InventHelp’s 2007 Invention and New Product Exposition (INPEX), a nine-year-old boy surprised everyone by being named Second Runner-Up for the Grand Prix Award – INPEX’s top prize. That young man, Tharon Trujillo of Sacramento, Calif., not only left INPEX 2007 with a cash prize and a handful of medals, but also a bright future as an inventor ahead of him.

I’m happy to report that Tharon has continued to build on the potential he showed at INPEX. Just last month, he displayed his invention the Lock N Block sliding door gate (the same invention he brought to INPEX) at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he took home yet another award. Tharon was named one of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) Innovation Award Winners.

Tharon’s invention is a gate that gets positioned on a sliding door track and prevents toddlers and pets from breaking through the screen. Tharon came up with the idea for the Lock N Block after his then-7-month-old sister pushed out the sliding-door screen at his family’s home. Not long after, Tharon and his dad went to work constructing the prototype they would ultimately exhibit at InventHelp’s Invention Show.

INPEX congratulates Tharon on his recent accomplishment and wishes him the best of luck in his continuing endeavors! As a trade show director, there’s nothing I love more than hearing about former INPEX exhibitors persisting in moving their new product ideas forward. I enjoy passing along these updates and hope they provide other exhibitors and inventors with a little bit of inspiration and encouragement.

Related INPEX posts:

1. InventHelp’s INPEX Grand Prix Award Winners!!
2. Zagreb Inventors Association Presents Award at INPEX
3. Inventor Receives Award of Excellence at InventHelps INPEX Trade Show
4. 2008 INPEX Award Winners Posted On Line!!
5. It’s a Cinderella Story! Another Inventor Wins a Free Booth at INPEX!