2 ms·
It is a shining example of what is wrong with the US patent system for sure (he says haughtily as an Australian) but worst patent ever granted? Doubtful.
by hartror 15y ago
It is a shining example of what is wrong with the US patent system for sure (he says haughtily as an Australian) but worst patent ever granted? Doubtful.
- Natsu 15y agoThere's stiff competition for the "worst patent ever", but surely one of the lowest must be when using a stick as a dog toy was patented in the USA. Don't believe me? Look here: Animal Toy http://www.google.com/patents?id=hhYJAAAAEBAJ http://www.google.com/patents?id=hhYJAAAAEBAJ After being issued (and extensively mocked), it was finally reexamined by the director of the USPTO himself. Over the course of several years, they finally managed to invalidate all of its claims. Why? There were two other patents that covered that material already (one of which, mercifully, was only a design patent). If you want some other crazy patents, I suggest looking at these: Painting Using a Baby's Butt http://www.google.com/patents?id=ErQFAAAAEBAJ http://www.google.com/patents?id=ErQFAAAAEBAJ Forehead Support for Urinals http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6681419 http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6681419 Anti-Gravity Spaceships http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6960975 http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6960975 User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks http://www.google.com/patents?id=XYYHAAAAEBAJ http://www.google.com/patents?id=XYYHAAAAEBAJ These other patents may be crazy and useless, but at least they were all novel.
- estel 15y agoI'm a fan of the British Rail Space Vehicle: http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=GB&NR=1310990&KC=&FT=E&locale=en_EP http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=...