http://www.ipwatchdog.com Patents, Patent Applications, Patent Law Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:40:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/10/31/happy-halloween-halloween-patents/id=7027/ http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/10/31/happy-halloween-halloween-patents/id=7027/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:26:32 +0000 Gene Quinn http://www.ipwatchdog.com/?p=7027

Obscure Patents: Chastity Belts for DogsPerhaps I am missing something, but I do not see a huge market for animal chastity belts. We have a dog, and we are dog lovers. We enjoy walking through pet stores and spoil her rotten. I cannot say that I have seen an animal chastity belt in any of my trips [...]...

Obscure Patent: Carry-out food containerCarry-out food container US Patent No. 7,451,889 Issued November 18, 2008 Did you know that on Tuesday, November 18, 2008, a carry out food container was patented? I discussed this patent in a post last week titled Unequal Treatment at the US Patent Office, where I discussed the unfair and inequal treatment that seems to be plaguing the Patent [...]...

Obscure Patent: The Beerbrella Beerbrella US Patent No. 6,637,447 Issued October 28, 2003 Here is a great invention, and one that is particularly appropriate to profile now that the heat of the summer has arrived. This device gets included here as an obscure patent because it is rather simple, something you don’t see every day, and completely ingenious. An umbrella for your [...]...

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Obscure Patent: Doggy Colostomy BagEnvironmental friendly animal excrement collector US Patent No. 7,461,616 Issued December 9, 2008 Every once in a while I come across a patent that I know is going to become one of my all-time favorites, and this is certainly one of those patents.  This may be the most ingenious of all inventions and I would still want to [...]...

Obscure Patent: Squirrel Teasing Bird FeederSquirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder [PDF ] [ HTML ] US Patent No. 6,619,229 Issued September 16, 2003 The patent explains that several types of bird feeders have been designed for preventing unwanted animals such as squirrels from eating the bird food in the feeder. The purpose of this invention, however, is not to get [...]...

Obscure Patent: Testicular Implants for a DogUS Patent No. 5,868,140 Issued February 9, 1999 This patent covers a method and apparatus for implantation of a testicular prosthetic device, [...]...

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Obscure Patent: Termite Flatulence DetectionSubterranean termite detection US Patent No. 6,526,692 Issued March 4, 2003 Here is an interesting obscure patent from IPWatchdog past, but one too good to miss.  This originally caught my eye while reading the New York Times. The article in the Times is titled: Using Termite Flatulence Against Them. This all seemed like a joke, but it must [...]...

Obscure Patent: Adjustable elevated serving tray for petsAdjustable elevated serving tray for pets US Patent No. 7,207,290 Issued April 24, 2007 Now I think I have officially seen everything!  An adjustable serving tray for pets?  What is even more surprising is that according to the Background of the Invention this is a fairly crowded field of technology, with elevated pet feeders being well known.  Who [...]...

Obscure Patent: Pillow with breastsPillow with breasts US Patent No. 7,386,902 Issued June 17, 2008  This is an interesting invention indeed.  I am not posting this to poke fun of the invention, but rather because it is certainly unique.  Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that inventions are intended to provide exclusive rights for inventors to insulate themselves from competition.  So [...]...

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Obscure Patent: The Dog Umbrella & Leash Pet umbrella and combined pet leash US Patent No. 6,871,616 Issued October 28, 2003 Before I start getting to deep, allow me to point out that I am a animal lover and a dog person. That being said, I think this takes things just a little bit too far. Dog lovers always spoil their pets, but an umbrella [...]...

Obscure Patent: The Beerbrella Beerbrella US Patent No. 6,637,447 Issued October 28, 2003 Here is a great invention, and one that is particularly appropriate to profile now that the heat of the summer has arrived. This device gets included here as an obscure patent because it is rather simple, something you don’t see every day, and completely ingenious. An umbrella for your [...]...

Obscure Patent: Head Mounted Letter “M” Head mounted letter “M” [ PDF ] US Patent No.6,834,453 Issued December 28, 2004  Searching for obscure patents can sometimes seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. Certainly, there are no shortage of patents that get issued on a weekly basis that should never have seen the light of day. Unfortunately, invalid patents are increasingly becoming a [...]...

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Obscure Patent: Testicular Implants for a DogUS Patent No. 5,868,140 Issued February 9, 1999 This patent covers a method and apparatus for implantation of a testicular prosthetic device, [...]...

Obscure Patent: Doggy Colostomy BagEnvironmental friendly animal excrement collector US Patent No. 7,461,616 Issued December 9, 2008 Every once in a while I come across a patent that I know is going to become one of my all-time favorites, and this is certainly one of those patents.  This may be the most ingenious of all inventions and I would still want to [...]...

Obscure Patent: Squirrel Teasing Bird FeederSquirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder [PDF ] [ HTML ] US Patent No. 6,619,229 Issued September 16, 2003 The patent explains that several types of bird feeders have been designed for preventing unwanted animals such as squirrels from eating the bird food in the feeder. The purpose of this invention, however, is not to get [...]...

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KSR Day at the NAPP Conference in San DiegoI am still in San Diego, California at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Patent Practitioners, which is being held at the Embassy Suites Hotel, which is roughly across the street from the U.S.S. Midway.  The conference has been a good one with some excellent presentations.  This morning there was a Bilski presentation, [...]...

Obscure Patents: KSR Does Not Mean MuchSo much has been made about the United States Supreme Court's decision in KSR v. Teleflex, which happened just over 2 years ago. Occasionally I like to take a look at how the Patent Office is handling KSR. Admittedly, this is not a scientific study, and is more aimed at having fun and perhaps also explaining so we never forget just how absurd the Supreme Court's decision in KSR actually was. Those familiar with the KSR decision and history will recall that the non-patent experts on the Supreme Court, including Justice Antonin Scalia who openly admitted he didn't understand patent...

Unequal Treatment at the US Patent OfficeSomething is seriously wrong at the United States Patent & Trademark Office, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to believe anything other than that there is ongoing unequal treatment of inventors who file patent applications. In the United States everyone is supposed to enjoy the same rights and privileges, and this concept manifests itself in [...]...

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Obscure Patents: Chastity Belts for DogsPerhaps I am missing something, but I do not see a huge market for animal chastity belts. We have a dog, and we are dog lovers. We enjoy walking through pet stores and spoil her rotten. I cannot say that I have seen an animal chastity belt in any of my trips [...]...

Obscure Patent: Squirrel Teasing Bird FeederSquirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder [PDF ] [ HTML ] US Patent No. 6,619,229 Issued September 16, 2003 The patent explains that several types of bird feeders have been designed for preventing unwanted animals such as squirrels from eating the bird food in the feeder. The purpose of this invention, however, is not to get [...]...

Obscure Patent: Color-coded clippersColor-coded attachment comb key for hair clipper US Patent No. 6,807,736 Issued October 26, 2004 I find myself almost completely overwhelmed by sadness. How is it possible that the patent system has fallen so far that patents on inventions like this one can be issued? In fact, patents such as this one are not only issued, they are [...]...

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Obscure Patents: KSR Does Not Mean MuchSo much has been made about the United States Supreme Court's decision in KSR v. Teleflex, which happened just over 2 years ago. Occasionally I like to take a look at how the Patent Office is handling KSR. Admittedly, this is not a scientific study, and is more aimed at having fun and perhaps also explaining so we never forget just how absurd the Supreme Court's decision in KSR actually was. Those familiar with the KSR decision and history will recall that the non-patent experts on the Supreme Court, including Justice Antonin Scalia who openly admitted he didn't understand patent...

The First Design PatentDid you know that the first design patent issued in the United States was issued on November 9, 1842, to George Bruce of New York? The USPTO searchable online database does not have a text copy of this patent available, undoubtedly because the design patent was handwritten. It is, however, possible to obtain an image [...]...

Obscure Patents: Chastity Belts for DogsPerhaps I am missing something, but I do not see a huge market for animal chastity belts. We have a dog, and we are dog lovers. We enjoy walking through pet stores and spoil her rotten. I cannot say that I have seen an animal chastity belt in any of my trips [...]...

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Another KSR RetrospectiveOn that fateful day some 27 months ago, April 30, 2007 to be precise, the United States Supreme Court decided that the well established and functional bright line rule for obviousness was too rigid.  No longer must there be a teaching, motiviation or suggestion to render an invention unpatentable for obviousness reasons.  No in this [...]...

Obscure Patent: Head Mounted Letter “M” Head mounted letter “M” [ PDF ] US Patent No.6,834,453 Issued December 28, 2004  Searching for obscure patents can sometimes seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. Certainly, there are no shortage of patents that get issued on a weekly basis that should never have seen the light of day. Unfortunately, invalid patents are increasingly becoming a [...]...

Obscure Patent: Carry-out food containerCarry-out food container US Patent No. 7,451,889 Issued November 18, 2008 Did you know that on Tuesday, November 18, 2008, a carry out food container was patented? I discussed this patent in a post last week titled Unequal Treatment at the US Patent Office, where I discussed the unfair and inequal treatment that seems to be plaguing the Patent [...]...

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Obscure Patent: The Love BoxLove Box US Patent No. 4,194,629 [ PDF ] [ HTML ] Issued March 25, 1980 While this patent is perhaps not wacky, I think it certainly qualifies as obscure. And in honor of Valentine’s Day an appropriate addition here.  Given that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day I thought it would be interesting to see what if any patents have issued with [...]...

Obscure Patent: System for Walking a SnakeCollar apparatus enabling secure handling of a snake by tether US Patent No. 6,490,999 Issued December 10, 2002 This invention is one of the all-time greats in the Obscure Patent category, and is back by popular demand (or at least the request of a longtime IPWatchdog.com reader).  As in practically all patents, there are multiple claims. The first [...]...

Obscure Patent: LasagnaFree-standing lasagna product US Patent No. 5,939,113 [ PDF ] [ HTML ] Issued August 17, 1999 This obscure patent is a recipe for lasagna. Yes, lasagna was patented on August 17, 1999. Truthfully, that over exaggerates the situation somewhat, but really only slightly. It is more accurate to say that this particular lasagna recipe was patented less [...]...

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Obscure Patent: System for Walking a SnakeCollar apparatus enabling secure handling of a snake by tether US Patent No. 6,490,999 Issued December 10, 2002 This invention is one of the all-time greats in the Obscure Patent category, and is back by popular demand (or at least the request of a longtime IPWatchdog.com reader).  As in practically all patents, there are multiple claims. The first [...]...

Obscure Patent: Adjustable elevated serving tray for petsAdjustable elevated serving tray for pets US Patent No. 7,207,290 Issued April 24, 2007 Now I think I have officially seen everything!  An adjustable serving tray for pets?  What is even more surprising is that according to the Background of the Invention this is a fairly crowded field of technology, with elevated pet feeders being well known.  Who [...]...

Obscure Patent: The Love BoxLove Box US Patent No. 4,194,629 [ PDF ] [ HTML ] Issued March 25, 1980 While this patent is perhaps not wacky, I think it certainly qualifies as obscure. And in honor of Valentine’s Day an appropriate addition here.  Given that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day I thought it would be interesting to see what if any patents have issued with [...]...

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Obscure Patent: Adjustable elevated serving tray for petsAdjustable elevated serving tray for pets US Patent No. 7,207,290 Issued April 24, 2007 Now I think I have officially seen everything!  An adjustable serving tray for pets?  What is even more surprising is that according to the Background of the Invention this is a fairly crowded field of technology, with elevated pet feeders being well known.  Who [...]...

Obscure Patent: Termite Flatulence DetectionSubterranean termite detection US Patent No. 6,526,692 Issued March 4, 2003 Here is an interesting obscure patent from IPWatchdog past, but one too good to miss.  This originally caught my eye while reading the New York Times. The article in the Times is titled: Using Termite Flatulence Against Them. This all seemed like a joke, but it must [...]...

Obscure Patent: LasagnaFree-standing lasagna product US Patent No. 5,939,113 [ PDF ] [ HTML ] Issued August 17, 1999 This obscure patent is a recipe for lasagna. Yes, lasagna was patented on August 17, 1999. Truthfully, that over exaggerates the situation somewhat, but really only slightly. It is more accurate to say that this particular lasagna recipe was patented less [...]...

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