Article: Inventors still tinker in their basements, but few will get rich from their schemes.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

PHILADELPHIA _ Tom Kilmer of Souderton, Montgomery County, came up with his idea four years ago while trying to lose weight.

"I decided to walk instead of going on a diet," he said. "The more I walked, the more I began to notice these ugly trash carts sitting in front of garages."

The carts, designed to be emptied weekly and accommodate hydraulic lifts, have been around since 1988. They proliferated as suburban towns closed dumps and began collecting residential trash.

Kilmer's solution to the unsightly carts: a themed canvas cover, called the Can Decor. He expects them to retail for less than $35.

In an era when every new product ...

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