Another Review of Summertime Inventions

In this prior post in May 2023, I reviewed some interesting inventions and innovations evoking summertime fun, including a look at U.S. Design Patent No. D584,478 for a unique bun design that could accommodate inventor Mark Murray’s unique “hamdog,” comprising a hamburger split in half to allow a hot dog to be placed in between. Since we are officially moving into Summer 2025, I thought it might be time to take a closer look at some other “cool” inventions for cookouts and picnics.

The most essential item for a successful cookout is the grill.  In the early 1950s, George A. Stephen, anemployee of Weber Brothers Metal Works invented what is universally known today as the Weber Grill. At the time, Weber Brothers made metal buoys for the U.S. Coast Guard. Stephen invented his “George’s Barbecue Kettle” by cutting a metal buoy to form a bowl with a lid.  He added some vents, and the iconic dome-shaped grill design was created. The shape of Stephen’s design improved heat distribution while reducing flare-ups and protecting the food on the grill from windy weather and debris in the air.  Stephen received numerous patents for his grill deigns over the years, including U.S. Patent No. 3,330,266 in 1967 for “Barbecue Vessel.”

Patent and Trademark Applicants Could See Big Delays in 2025

Patent and trademark applicants are likely to see significant changes with their applications in 2025. First, numerous fee increases have recently taken effect – on January 18 for trademark applications and January 19 for patent applications. Second, applicants are also likely to see lengthened delays in the processing of new applications due to recent decisions by the new Trump Administration which may slow the operations of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO).

Two of President Trump’s “first day” Executive Orders issued on January 20 may present a pair of challenges to the USPTO’s efforts to review pending patent and trademark applications in an efficient and timely manner. A Presidential Memorandum was issued requiring all federal employees to return to in-person work. The USPTO employs about 14,000 employees, with 13,000 employees currently working remotely. The Memorandum could create changes in the available workforce depending on how it is enforced. Additionally, one of new Director Coke Morgan Stewart’s first actions as head of the USPTO, in response to a President Trump directive to shrink the federal workforce, was to put a freeze on new hires at the agency. This overturned a USPTO announcement in mid-2024 to hire 800 new employees – mostly new patent examiners – in an effort to address the increased backlogs of patent applications. The confluence of these two decisions could lead to fewer USPTO employees available, which would directly lead to greater increases in wait time for pending applications.

The Tragic Fall of the Tupperware Brand

Most children of my generation are quite familiar with searching through a cabinet filled with plastic Tupperware containers and lids to find the right match for packing up leftovers. The ubiquity of the Tupperware container defined the experiences of generations of families from the post-World War II era through the Seventies and Eighties and up through the turn of the Century. Spurred to tremendous popularity by a revolutionary marketing strategy that introduced easy-to-use and often unusually colorful products aimed to keep foods and drinks fashionably fresh, Tupperware containers seemed to be in every household in America. Unfortunately, the Tupperware Brand, once it lost its market leader status, was unable to keep up in the modern-day, post-pandemic market. It recently filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware.

Recognizing Athletic Innovation at the Olympics

In just about a month’s time, the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, also known as the 2024 Summer Olympics, will begin in Paris, France. From July 26th through August 11th, about 10,500 athletes from 206 different countries will compete for medals in 329 events over 32 sports. The Olympics have been of great interest to me since my early childhood, grabbing my attention every four years growing up and now every two years (ever since the Winter Olympics shifted in 1994 to offset the Summer and Winter Games every two years).

Full disclosure, I own a complete set of videotapes of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics that I forced my dad to record for me while I was away working at summer camp, so my love for the Olympics, like a lot of other interests of mine, could easily be labeled an obsession. For me, every event is appointment viewing, from the crowning of the Fastest Man Alive in the 100 Meter Sprint, to the repechage races in the Lightweight Women’s Doubles Sculls, to the Preliminary Round Handball match between Hungary and Denmark (set your calendar for August 2nd).

First-Time Inventors Receive Boost from U.S. Patent Office

A patent portfolio can be one of the greatest assets that a company owns.

Patented technology provides value to a company that can lead to improved sales, revenue growth, and increased investment. Patents can convey great value and provide many avenues for sustaining and growing business operations. The exclusionary power of the patent right can create a foothold for innovative technology and enable a company to stake out territory that forces competitors to design around the patents, license the technology, or risk being sued for infringement. Patents also provide a basis for continued innovation and expansion through investment in R&D, covering improvements in technology, increasing the zone of exclusivity, influencing the prevailing state of the art, and tapping into new areas. And they provide added cachet in the marketplace: there is an inherent PR benefit to being able to advertise patented technology.

Beware of Grinches Selling Counterfeit Goods

With the holiday season in full swing, shoppers are looking for the best deals in record numbers this year.

According to CNBC, major trade groups estimate that sales for the 2023 holiday season will be in the range of about $950 billion. Much of these sales will be driven by online shopping. Per Gallup, 92% of all holiday shoppers will buy at least one gift online this year, and 47% of all shoppers will buy most—if not all—of their gifts online. This year’s Cyber Monday was the biggest shopping day in U.S. history, with revenue reaching about $12 billion in sales.

A Review of Summertime Inventions

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of Summer. As we start preparing for picnics and barbeques, outdoor concerts, trips to the beach or days at the pool, I thought it would be fun to review some interesting inventions and innovations that often evoke childhood memories of summers past. In this prior post from December 2021, I took a nostalgic look at some of the toys and games we grew up with and examined the patents behind those innovations, including U.S. Patent No. 3,359,678, issued on December 26, 1967, for Wham-O Manufacturing Co.’s “Flying Saucer,” modelled after pie tins manufactured by the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Wham-O’s flying discs, of course, are known as Frisbees, which are perfect for a nice summer day at the park.

United States Patent and Trademark Office Unveils New IP Identifier Tool to Assist Entrepreneurs

Last week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) unveiled its new Intellectual Property (IP) Identifier Tool to assist inventors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses in identifying inventions, brands, and other business assets that can be protected by intellectual property rights.

The IP Identifier Tool is a user-friendly, virtual resource specifically designed by the USPTO for those who may be less familiar with intellectual property rights—patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. The IP Identifier Tool enables users to first identify whether they have any intellectual property that can be protected, and then helps them to identify specific protections that would help them secure and further develop their business assets. The IP Identifier Tool also provides easily digestible information on intellectual property basics, including guidance to help a user navigate the application process for a patent, trademark or copyright.

WIPO Global Awards reward small and medium-sized enterprises making a global impact

In 2022, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) launched a new initiative to recognize the innovative efforts of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from around the world. WIPO’s new Global Awards are designed to identify new inventions and creative commercial solutions that impact economic, social, and cultural progress, and in turn, encourage innovation and the commercialization of IP assets.

WIPO is a self-funding agency of the United Nations (comprising 193 member states) that provides a global forum for IP services, policy, information, and cooperation. WIPO’s mission is to ensure a world where innovation and creativity from anywhere in the world is supported by IP rights for the good of everyone. An aim of the Global Awards is to recognize and support enterprises and individuals striving to make a positive impact through innovation both at home and beyond borders.

The Innovation of America’s Pastime – Reviewing the Patents of Baseball

Author: Tucker Griffith

The annual rite of spring known as Opening Day is upon us. Today's game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees officially started the 146th season of professional baseball. While there have been many rule changes and innovations to the game of baseball over the last century and a half, including recent changes such as the universal designated hitter introduced for the first time this season, the use of a wireless communication device between catcher and pitcher, and the introduction of a pitch clock for next season, the basic rules of the game have remained relatively unchanged since the 1800s. At its heart, the game of baseball is about hitting a ball with a bat and catching that ball with a glove. It is easy to assume that the design of these basic components of the game have likewise been unchanged since the purported inception of baseball in 1839. However, enterprising individuals, often motivated by a desire to improve performance or safety, developed groundbreaking innovations in equipment that became the standard for the game of baseball over time, and are presently as ubiquitous as peanuts, crackerjacks, and the 7th inning stretch. This post explores some of the patented inventions that have advanced the game of baseball, and some that never quite caught on.

Just in Time for the Holidays: A Nostalgic Review of Famous Toys and the Patents That Protect Them

During this holiday season, I recall the adage that it is better to give than to receive. But being completely honest, most children really enjoy getting presents too. And not just any presents, but often the hottest toy, the newest fad, or the trendiest clothes. In A Christmas Story, young Ralphie famously wants “an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle,” and goes to great extremes to make sure his parents, his teacher, and especially Santa Claus know. Toy companies are well-aware of these desires. Marketing efforts are devised to penetrate the subconscious thoughts of children leading to a manic frenzy on Black Friday for an Xbox gaming console, Pokemon cards, or a Tickle Me Elmo doll that have become “must haves.” Not surprisingly, given the great demand for these items, entrepreneurs who invent toys and the companies who work to market them will ensure that their toys, games and dolls are adequately protected by intellectual property rights to prevent cheap knockoffs and grow their market share. Even Ralphie’s Red Ryder air rifle was patented by Daisy Outdoor Products on October 2, 1888 as U.S. Patent No. 390,311, titled “Spring Air Gun.”

U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Recognizing COVID-19 Inventions with Its 2021 Patent for Humanity Awards

It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention.

The worldwide impact of the COVID-19 virus has been quick and extensive, affecting every corner of the globe nearly immediately. As a result, the far-reaching effect of the pandemic has led to numerous inventions and discoveries that have greatly benefitted society, allowing some return to “normalcy”.

Notably, a collective focus on the COVID-19 virus has led to game-changing advancements in the research, scientific, and medical communities, with the development of quicker, more accurate and more convenient testing for COVID-19, the creation of new therapies for treatment of infected patients, and the development and widespread introduction of multiple safe and effective vaccines using groundbreaking techniques with dozens more in clinical trials.