Obscure Patent: Clothes Protection System
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Written by Gene Quinn President & Founder of IPWatchdog, Inc. Patent Attorney, Reg. No. 44,294 Zies, Widerman & Malek E-mail | Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn Posted: Oct 4, 2008 @ 2:14 pm 
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Clothes Protection System [ HTML ] [ PDF ]
US Patent No. 7,350,239
Issued April 1, 2008
The United States Patent Office issues some real interesting patents on a regular basis, but over the years it has become apparent that there are those within the Patent Office with a real sense of humor. April Fools day is a national day for pranks, and not to be left out the Patent Office seems to like to issues crazy inventions on April 1. This invention is a case in point. On April 1, 2008, a US patent was issued on what appears to be a bib. You simply open up the opening and put your neck into the center opening and then close around your neck using a Velcro securing mechanism.
According to the application:
The present invention is a clothes protector system to be used by adults while sitting at a table and dining. It is designed for people who are living independently. It can be described as a system which is made from a piece of light weight cloth that is about 18 inches wide and about 36 inches long. The cloth has a neck hole which is about 6 inches in diameter. The neck hole starts about 2 inches from the top of the fabric and is centered with about 6 inches of fabric on each side. This will protect the clothing from the bottom of the chin, down the chest and across the lap. Note is also taken that the clothes protection system as described herein is reversible thus extending the utility of the invention.
I guess the inventor is of the belief that those adults who are single and living alone don’t like doing laundry and are slobs. So rather than run the risk of spilling foot on your clothing and thus not being able to wear the clothing a second time without washing, you simply use this unique clothes protection system. That way you can be sloppy, spill food and drink all over yourself and not have to worry about others noticing the spillage on your clothes. It does not appear that the clothes protection system will be able to ensure that your clothes don’t smell, so if you are going to use this invention to prevent spilling you may also want to invest in a good deodorant and maybe even some perfume!
About the Author
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Eugene R. Quinn, Jr.
President & Founder of IPWatchdog, Inc. US Patent Attorney (Reg. No. 44,294) Zies, Widerman & Malek B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Rutgers University J.D., Franklin Pierce Law Center L.L.M. in Intellectual Property, Franklin Pierce Law Center Send me an e-mail  |
Gene Quinn is a US Patent Attorney, law professor and the founder of IPWatchdog.com. He is also a principal lecturer in the top patent bar review course in the nation, which helps aspiring patent attorneys and patent agents prepare themselves to pass the patent bar exam. Known by many as “The IPWatchdog,” Gene started the widely popular intellectual property website IPWatchdog.com in 1999, and since that time the site has had millions of unique visitors. Gene has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the LA Times, CNN Money, NPR and various other newspapers and magazines worldwide. He represents individuals, small businesses and start-up corporations. As an electrical engineer with a computer engineering focus his specialty is electronic and computer devices, Internet applications, software and business methods.
WOW – at least there wasn’t an attorney’s name attached to it. I would hat to see an inventor have paid an attorney to put that together. And thank goodness for Figure 2. It may have been a bit difficult to understand this invention without the cross section!