Obscure Patent: Pillow with breasts
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: July 19, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Pillow 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 any patent that covers a product that has a market can be extremely useful to the inventor. Now I have no particular knowledge about whether there is a market for this invention, but it does seem at least as interesting as much of the merchandise on sale at your neighborhood Spencer Gifts. So I would have to give this invention a thumbs up because it is interesting and seems likely that with proper placement it could result in sales.
Obscure Patent: Magnetic therapy device
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: June 25, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Bi-axial rotating magnetic therapeutic device
US Patent No. 6,648,812 [ PDF ] [ HTML ]
Issued November 18, 2003
This device varies magnetic field intensity by rotating a single magnet about two axes at the same time. This could be a legitimate, real invention, if only it were claimed as a human amusement device, or a device for sucking money from desperate individuals in search of a cure. The problem is that it has been claimed as “a therapeutic magnetic device.” That being the case, the invention must be useful for its claimed purpose, otherwise a utility rejection under 35 USC 101 and an enablement rejection under 35 USC 112 should issue. The patent itself addresses this by explaining that books have been written supporting the efficacy of magnetic therapy. What the patent fails to point out is that books have also been written about alien abduction and the fact that man never really landed on the moon.
Obscure Patent: Color-coded clippers
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: May 27, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Color-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 issued every week! When teaching patent prosecution I always point out that sometimes the most simple inventions are the ones that present the biggest problems with respect to finding prior art. It seems that everyone wants to write about cutting edge stuff, so finding a reference in writing that talks about a swing moving side to side can be near impossible. That being said, how is it that anyone at the Patent Office could not find a reference that demonstrates that this “invention” is not patentable? This invention is only a color coded system!
Obscure Patent: Shock Game
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: May 24, 2008 at 11:47 am
Skin-irritating game machine [ PDF ]
US Patent No. 6,561,905
Issued May 13, 2003
This one is almost too good to be true! Bring on the electro-shock treatment. This patent covers the invention of a hand-held electronic game that outputs a voltage to irritate the skin of a player who loses. Can you imagine the lawsuits this would create if it were ever to be marketed? Even if the product is relatively safe there would certainly be product liability suits, and the children rights activists would have a field day against parents who would actually buy an electro-shock game boy. From a patent standpoint I wonder whether this should be patentable. The subject matter seems fine, and utility is no problem, but while I cannot place the reference I am sure I have seen some B movies that have included devices similar to this one, and I would bet that some psychology students somewhere have tried this, or something similar, in a controlled environment.
Obscure Patent: Inside Out Clothing
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: April 30, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Garments having inside out appearance
US Patent No. 7,350,242
Issued April 1, 2008
The issuance of this patent on April Fools Day shows that someone at the Patent Office has a sense of humor. This patent also reminds me of one of my all-time favorite obscure patents - Disposable boxer shorts - which was patented also on April Fools Day, just 5 years earlier.
In any event, what we have here is not at all unique. This particular invention is simply a garment having an inside out appearance. How in the name of all that is right and proper could something like this be patented? I have absolutely no idea.
We can all sit here and poke fun at this patent, pointing out the obvious problems, such as the fact that clothing that is turned inside out is not really new or unique. In fact I would venture to say that during the course of a week we all have at least one article of clothing that is inside out in our hamper or laundry basket. But poking such fun, which mildly entertaining, is not really enlightening.
Just over one year ago the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in the already famous (or perhaps it is better to say infamous) matter of KSR v. Teleflex. In that case the Supreme Court ostensibly made it more difficult to obtain a patent. The US Supreme Court decided that the well established and functional bright line rule for obviousness was to rigid. No longer must there be a teaching, motiviation or suggestion to render an invention unpatentable for obviousness reasons. Now we go case by case and determine for every invention whether it would be within the common sense knowledge base of someone of skill in the art.
Obscure Patent: Head Mounted Letter “M”
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: April 22, 2008 at 7:47 pm
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 way of life. Occasionally, however, a holy grail of obscurity is stumbled across. Finding and reading such wacky patents makes the journey through the hundreds of thousands of patents issued yearly all worth while. This particular patent is one of those rare finds. Spotting a patent like this is both fun, entertaining and tremendously sad. How in the name of all that is right in the world could the United States Patent Office issue a patent on a modified letter “M”? Giving the USPTO the benefit of the doubt, this letter “M” is worn on the head of the user. To quote Charlie Brown… “GOOD GRIEF.”
The Background of the Invention explains:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display that is adapted to be mounted onto the head of a fan and which is provided with the shape of a letter “M” that has some association with a particular team. For example, the Seattle Mariners baseball team is commonly referred to as the “M’s.” It is an object of the invention to provide a display in the shape of a “M” that is adapted to be self-secured to the head of a fan, so that, for example, the fan can wear it to a game or elsewhere.
Obscure Patent: The Beerbrella
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: April 10, 2008 at 12:15 pm
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 beer! How awesome is this? If the price is right who wouldn’t buy this as a gag gift for their favorite beer drinker? It would seem that this invention would have to be in every Spencer Gift store across the country. Think of the possibilities with respect to the umbrella portion. Who could resist the opportunity to buy a beerbrella with the logo of your favorite sports team? This invention reminds us that frequently simple inventions, or inventions that make people smile or laugh, can be quite lucrative.
The US Constitution says that Congress can provide for the issuance of patents to further the progress of science and the useful arts. That is the goal, but there is no requirement that every invention be a scientific breakthrough. Almost anything that is useful can be patented in the US, and what is more useful than keeping the sun off your beer on a hot summer afternoon?
Obscure Patent: Mouse Trap
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: March 28, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Trap for a mouse
US Patent No. 6,655,077
Issued December 2, 2003
Build a better mouse trap and the world will beat a path to your door! Here is a better mouse trap, at least according to the disclosure contained in the patent. It would be easy enough to poke fun at the Patent Office by saying that “the mouse trap was patented in 2003,” but we could even go one better than that. The last patent issued with the words “mouse trap” in the title issued in May of 2007. This patent, US Patent No. 7,216,457, is to a pyramid shaped mouse trap, which is of a different kind than this far more traditional mouse trap we are discussing here, but it is still nevertheless a mouse trap.
Obscure Patent: Sports jersey chair
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: March 14, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Chair upholstered with sports jersey
US Patent No. 7,340,813
Issued March 11, 2008
This is an interesting invention for many reasons. While this may seem like a silly invention to some, I think this is a very creative invention that is well worth protecting. Yes, I just might surprise long time readers of IPWatchdog.com by not making fun of a patent profiled under the heading “obscure patent.”
Obscure Patent: Skateboard deck
By: Gene Quinn
Posted: March 7, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Composite sports board such as a skateboard deck
US Patent No. 6,648,363 [ PDF ]
Issued November 18, 2003
The picture gives this invention away. If you guessed skateboard then you are correct! In reality, the disclosure would also be sufficient to cover any type of sports board, not just a skateboard. In fact, the wheels (shown above as 121A and 121B) are not present in any of the claims, which makes for an interesting skate board, doesn’t it?
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