Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or avoid it, we can all get some enjoyment from the various pieces of popular intellectual property associated with the holiday.

Before you buy yourself a box of chocolates or a bouquet of roses, consider all of the innovation that has been poured into the Valentine’s Day gifts and sweets.

1. Heart-Shaped Chocolate  – U.S. Patent No. D449,147

Chocolates are one the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts, so its no surprise to see store shelves showcasing heart-shaped chocolates around this time of year. There are over 400 patents related to chocolate, one of them being Verlooy Herwig’s design patent for heart-shaped chocolate. His design has since become a classic gift to give yourself or to the people you love.

2. Personalized Greeting Card –  EP555,2333

Musical greeting cards were patented by Ellen Bumpus Johnson and Daryl Leonard Ivey on July 23, 1997. Conceived as a way to further personalize greeting cards, musical greeting cards ushered in a new era in the greeting card industry. What better way to say “I love you” than purchasing a singing card?

3. Climbing or Trailing Rose – USPP1P

Roses have always been associated with Valentine’s Day, but who knew they were also significant in patent history? The first plant patent ever granted was to a Mr. Henry F. Bosenberg in 1931. Bosenberg intended to lengthen the amount of time that a climbing rose would bloom in order to match the longer blooming period of non-climbing roses.

 

4. Method of Making A Heart-Shaped Diamond – U.S. Patent No. US6434805b2

For those who are feeling fancier during this holiday, thank Ami Haimoff for patenting a new way to make heart-shaped diamonds. The process, patented in 2002, involves cutting two pear-shaped diamonds and placing them side-by-side in a way that creates a heart shape.

No matter how you choose to to celebrate this holiday, we encourage you to treat yourself to a the biggest box of chocolate you can find!

Suiter Swantz IP is a full-service intellectual property law firm providing client-centric patent, trademark, and copyright services. If you need assistance with an intellectual property matter and would like to speak with one of our attorneys, please contact us at info@suiter.com.