Happy Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving and Turkey Patents - IPWatchdog.com

It is that time of the year for Americans to give thanks for all the many things we have and enjoy — family, friends, country and of course patents! Here is hoping that everyone has a restful, peaceful and very Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Embossed Insert for Baking Pan
US Design Patent No. D527,217
Issued August 29, 2006

Turkey Fryer Wind Barrier
US Design Patent No. D585,234
Issued January 27, 2009

By way of public service announcement, if you plan on using a turkey fryer (with or without above wind barrier) be sure to remember that deep frying a frozen turkey can be a disaster! While some say that deep frying a frozen turkey will cause it to explode (see Deep Fried Turkey Safety from the City of Vancouver, WA), even if it doesn’t explode you are guaranteed to have a mess on your hands. There is a lot of truth to oil and water not mixing, particularly when you are talking about hot oil! Also be sure you do not fill the oil up to the top of the fryer and then put the turkey into the oil. While this is self evident to many, every year there are some who fail to comprehend displacement. The result is hot oil overflowing the fryer. Talk about a mess, burning yourself and setting fire to your porch is no way to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Turkey Pan
US Design Patent No. D581,208
Issued November 25, 2008

Hunting Decoy Device
US Patent No. 7,231,737
Issued June 18, 2007

According to the patent this invention “relates generally to gaming and observation of animals.” What a sanitary way to say it relates to hunting. I guess you are observing the turkey right before you shoot it, so no harm, no fowl! Alright, that was a pathetic patent attorney attempt at humor. In any event, the invention is a device that mimics the movement of tail feather of a live turkey. The invention is really the tail feathers, and the above image, Fig. 5 from the patent, shows how the decoy will appear when a turkey body is positioned in front of the feather array.

For other turkey and Thanksgiving themed patents please see these other articles:

For more festive patents check out our Holiday Patents page too!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Gene Quinn Gene Quinn is a patent attorney and a leading commentator on patent law and innovation policy. Mr. Quinn has twice been named one of the top 50 most influential people [...see more]

Warning & Disclaimer: The pages, articles and comments on IPWatchdog.com do not constitute legal advice, nor do they create any attorney-client relationship. The articles published express the personal opinion and views of the author as of the time of publication and should not be attributed to the author’s employer, clients or the sponsors of IPWatchdog.com.

Join the Discussion

6 comments so far.

step back
November 30, 2009 12:18 pm
The so-called “debate” at Mises.org over IP rights is over.

Here is the score-card:

An electronic entity that identified itself as “Bala” invoked the Chesire Cat prerogative by insisting that the word “property” means only what Bala unilaterally deems it to mean.

The Great Bala then declared that anything intangible or intellectual does not fit in its definition of “property” and thus IP rights cannot exist. The Great Bala declared that “property” is that which the Great Bala deems “ought to” be owned by whomever the Great Bala deems to be the owner. So spake the Great Bala.

At that point the electronic entity, Step Back realized he was wasting electrons in attempting to engage with the anarchists/Libertarians over at Mises.org.
step back
November 29, 2009 02:52 pm
So just a progress report here on the Mises.org anti-patent screed (Supreme Skepticism).

I have uncovered the fact that there is major rift in the anarchist/Libertarian movement as to whether IP rights are legitimate “property” rights. Ayn Rand says patents are legitimate. Kinsella and his minions are having a hissy fit over the disclosure of that “fact”. When the facts don’t suit them, they go all emotional and claim they are the ones who are the supreme rational beings.
step back
November 27, 2009 06:32 am
Darn it Gene,

You had to go and tell me about the Raider game.
It wasn’t all that festive anymore after the Raiders went down the way they did.

BTW, when are you guys going to come in and provide some tag team help at the Mises.org anti-patent thread? Yes, the Zohan has great powers, but even with them he is starting to get worn out chopping those turkeys down all by himself.

Hope your holidays went well.
Gene Quinn
November 26, 2009 12:30 pm
Scrappy and Step-

Thanks for your continued support and reading IPWatchdog.com!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy the football and Turkey! (By the way, its Packers vs. Lions; Raiders vs. Cowboys; and Giants vs. Broncos)

-Gene
scrappy
November 26, 2009 07:00 am
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Gene. (Thanks for the blog too!)

Dave
step back
November 26, 2009 05:33 am
Hi Gene,

I’m having some pre-Thanksgiving fun with your old friend, Stephan Kinsella over at Mises.org.

He basically argues that all patents should be abolished at:
http://blog.mises.org/archives/011097.asp
(Title of his post is “Supreme Skepticism Toward Method Patents” but in essence he and his anarchist pals there want to trash all patents.)

Want to join in for some good old pre-Thanksgiving Day tail gate partying over there? After we finish brawling intellectually with those intellectual power houses, we can kick back, have a beer and watch the football games. (BTW, who’s playing?)

And remember: Have courage.

(Oops you can’t do that. Obama pardoned Courage. Enjoy another turkey and enjoy good times with friends and family. All the best –Steppy)