Have a Seat– A Brief History of School Desk Patents
New wardrobe has been purchased, school supplies have been stocked, lunch is packed, now it's time for your first patent history lesson of the new school year-- a brief history of school desk patents!...
Rudolf Diesel's "Internal Combustion Engine"
On August 9, 1898, Rudolf Diesel was granted U.S. Patent No. 608,845A, for his "INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE." Rudolf Diesel, who is best known for the invention that bears his name, was born in Paris,...
The Patent Behind Prince's Keytar
On July 26, 1994, Prince R. Nelson was granted a design patent for his infamous keytar: PORTABLE, ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, U.S. Patent No. D349,127 Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June...
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Mission
July 20, 2019, marks the 50th anniversary of NASA's Apollo 11 lunar mission. Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969. The lunar...
Coons and Stivers Reintroduce STRONGER Patents Act of 2019
Yesterday, July 10, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Congressman Steve Stivers (R-OH) reintroduced the STRONGER Patents Act of 2019. Coons and Stivers were joined by Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL),...
Independence Day Innovations
To celebrate America turning another year older, we are highlighting a few American innovations that make celebrating Independence Day so enjoyable. The Fourth of July marks the anniversary of the...
5 Baseball Patents You Won't Find at the Men's College World Series
As the NCAA Men’s College World Series comes to an end, fans from around the country are gathering in Omaha, Nebraska to root for their favorite team. In honor of the “Greatest Show on Dirt,” we...
The Patent that Led to the Creation of Morse Code
On June 20, 1840, Samuel F. B. Morse was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,647A, "IMPROVEMENT IN THE MODE OF COMMUNICATING INFORMATION BY SIGNALS BY THE APPLICATION OF ELECTROMAGNETISM." This invention later...
Intellectual Property and the 4th of July
Independence Day, or Fourth of July, has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but has been observed since 1777, the first anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of...
The Youngest Person to Receive a U.S. Patent
On June 4, 1963, Robert W. Patch became the youngest person to receive a U.S. patent. Patch’s “Toy Truck” (U.S. Patent No. 3,091,888) allowed for a toy truck to be taken apart and reassembled in...
Oral Arguments Heard by Supreme Court in Oil States Energy v. Greene's Energy
Monday November 27, 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Oil States Energy Services LLC v. Greene’s Energy Group, LLC. The question before the Court was...
Andrei Iancu Named as Nominee for USPTO Director
The Trump administration announced on Friday August 25, 2017 that the President will nominate Andrei Iancu as the next director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Assuming that...