Posts Tagged: "Holiday Patents"

Centuries of Innovation in Barbecue and Grilling Develop a Distinctly American Flavor

Summer holidays bring out the largest number of barbecue fanatics and the three top holidays for grilling are the 4th of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. With this in mind, and with summer rapidly coming to a close, we thought it would make sense to take a look at the evolution of BBQ technologies… There is a difference between barbecue and grilling and even though it’s not unusual to hear the term “barbecue grill” used, it is technically a misnomer. Traditional barbecue involves a low-and-slow heating process which is suitable for tougher cuts of meat like flank or brisket because it breaks down the meat’s connective tissue, making it incredibly tender and easy to break apart. The “fall off the bone” ribs that barbecue fanatics seek out come from the low-and-slow approach, which usually takes hours. Grilling puts meat much closer to the heat source and most burgers can be cooked on a grill in 10 minutes or less.

The Most Iconic (and Patented) Toys and Games of All Time

Since America’s earliest days, a lot of creative and innovative toys have come through the consumer marketplace. Many becoming so iconic they have become household names and synonymous with a moment in time for America’s youth. Some of the most popular of these toys that continue to show up year after year under Christmas trees were patented… It wouldn’t be a traditional Christmas at IPWatchdog unless we spent some time profiling some cool innovations that relate to the holiday season. So today, I return to one of our all time favorite articles. Five years ago we published The Top 10 Most Iconic (and Patented) Toys and last year we published The Most Iconic (and Patented) Games. With Christmas firmly in mind, it is time to revisit and expand these lists. When initially published some truly iconic classic toys and games were inexplicably left missing. So, with the hours winding down before Santa Claus makes his way down chimneys across the world, join us as we look back at some of the most popular toys and games of all time, as well as the patents behind them.

Happy Thanksgiving and a Rotisserie Turkey Deep Fryer

It is that time of year where we annually pause as a nation, taking time out of our busy lives to visit family, watch football, eat too much turkey and other holiday foods, and read about patents that related to turkeys in one way, shape or form.  Well, most of the nation won’t be engaging in the later, but obviously you are here, it is a holiday and you are reading IPWatchdog.com. Predicting you were going to spend a portion of the day reading about patents that in some way relate to turkeys was really a lay-up in the world of predictions and prognostications!

The Most Iconic (and Patented) Games

Several years ago we profiled the Top 10 Iconic (and Patented) Toys in our Christmas Eve edition. This year we decided to profile the most iconic and patented games, many of which are still likely to be found waiting for good little girls and boys under the Christmas tree. Profiled are Monopoly®, Rubik’s Cube, Battleship, and Rock’em Sock’em Robots, Twister and Simon.

Santa Claus: A Patent History

There is no doubt that Santa Claus contributes greatly to the staggering 2017 predictions for holiday spending… Indeed, after reading all these patents (and the many others I found) it seems clear that there is a long tradition of inventors seeking patents on various items inspired by or relating to Santa Claus himself. And unlike many other celebrities, no doubt owing to Santa’s jolly nature, he seems perfectly comfortable with inventors using his name and likeness as they invent toys, figurines and other gadgets that are useful for conjuring up the loving spirit of the man during the holiday season.