Holiday Patents: Hanukkah, Chanukah Patents
 |
Written by Gene Quinn President & Founder of IPWatchdog, Inc. Patent Attorney, Reg. No. 44,294 Zies, Widerman & Malek E-mail | Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn Posted: Dec 14, 2009 @ 5:34 pm 
|
|
Electric Hanukkah Lamp, Design Patent No. D185199
The holiday season is already upon us, and early this year. Hanukkah, or Chanukah as it is sometimes spelled, began at sundown on Friday, December 11, 2009 and will run through Saturday, December 19, 2009. Like I did last year when I wrote Happy Hanukkah, Hanukkah Patents, once again I went searching for some relevant patents for the occasion. It is certainly true that there are not many US patents that refer to Hanukkah, or Chanukah, at least not in the title, but that doesn’t deter me from making an effort. In years to come it will become more difficult no doubt, forcing me to dig deeper because there are just not that many theme relevant US patents. The most typical Hanukkah patents are design patents that in some way relate to lights or candles, including the one pictured to the left, relating to an electric Hanukkah lamp, which was filed on August 13, 1958 and issue May 1959. In fact, all of the patents in this article are design patents, and all of them were issued in the 1950s. In looking at these design patents it became clear that design patent claims have not changed at all, over the years. Then and now claims covered the “ornamental design for” whatever is shown in the drawings. Design patents were also quick to issue in the 1950s and they are still today.
Before getting to the patents, allow me to set the stage with a little history. In 175 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphanes became the leader of Syria, which governed the Jewish territory of Israel or Judea. Antiochus persecuting the Jews throughout his reign, with an altar to Zeus was built in the Temple in about 167 BCE. A Jewish priest named Mattathias and his five sons led a revolt and successfully rededicated the Temple. Upon reclaiming the Holy Temple it was discovered that the oil needed to burn the Temple’s menorah was defiled and could not be used. The remaining usable oil was only enough to burn for one day, but miraculously lasted for eight days and eight nights, burning without interruption. In celebration of this miracle Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, lasts for eight days and eight nights.
Chanuka table ornament or similar article
Design Patent No. D179258
Filing date: Mar 12, 1956
Issue date: Nov 1956
Chanuka display ornament
Design Patent No. D179211
Filing date: Feb 27, 1956
Issue date: Nov 1956
Hanukkah Menokah
Design Patent No. D166358
Filing date: Jul 28, 1951
Issue date: Apr 1952
Happy Hanukkah!
About the Author
 |
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.
The Zohan have application pending for new and improved “You Don’t Mess with My Menorah” design. Mostly it is meant for keeping Scrappy from messing with my Latkus and Draidel. It shoot Taser wire and darts at Scrappy when detection of the Scrappy is made. The design comprise state of art software and special Scrappy-in-the-room hardware detector. However examiner with other kind of Middle Eastern name reject claim for lack of utility. Says the Latkus don’t taste so good and therefore not useful unless claim amended to include apple sauce. The Zohan think he will appeal the apple rejection. Sometimes Latkus good with Fizzily Bubbly drink alone. What think you?
Happy Holidays.