Weird Patents: Everything You Need to Know

Weird patents don’t seem like two words that go together. We have several examples of unusual products that have been granted patents and have selected some of the strangest to share.

The Reward Candy Dispenser

This product addresses office workers who don’t always do what they are supposed to do. It uses positive reinforcement to keep office workers doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. Its optical sensor “sees” what the worker does during the work day on his or her computer.

When the worker achieves a certain threshold of activity, a piece of candy is released from an attached container on the worker’s desk. The reward for a certain number of emails or documents produced keeps the worker focused on production.

Leaf Gathering Trousers

This invention addresses the unfortunate physical aspects of gathering leaves with a traditional rake. Instead of straining your back or blistering your hands, this method allows you to move in a more natural way while picking up the leaves that fall from trees during the fall.

A pair of flexible tubes are worn over pants that have a net affixed between them. While walking around, the net collects the leaves in front of the person wearing the contraption.

This is a much simpler way for a person to gather the leaves into piles that can then be picked up. The inventor claims this is not only more comfortable but also much more productive than the traditional raking method used to gather leaves.

The Dad Saddle or Daddle

What dad hasn’t had a child climb on their back and ask for a ride? Playing horse is a time-honored tradition all over the world. This product, like the backpacks and scarves ergonomically designed for parents, helps parenting become more comfortable.

This Dad Saddle fastens around the parent’s waist, complete with stirrups, and allows the child to ride the parent without back strain.  It’s adjustable for the height of the child to ensure the child is steady. Tackling the open range has never been safer for child and dad.

Crispy Cereal Server

This is the invention that you didn’t know you needed, even if you are a cereal lover. The purpose of this patented product is to keep dry cereal out of the milk until a spoonful is about to be scooped up into the mouth of a cereal eater. One bowl holds the milk, and a suspended bowl holds the dry cereal. A chute provides one spoonful of cereal at a time, into the waiting milk, leaving the rest of your favorite cereal dry.

Green House Helmet

This invention is strapped to the user’s face to enclose the wearer’s head. The dome is treated to keep it from fogging, and has multiple shelves to hold plants. The wearer exhales, providing the plants with the carbon dioxide they need and, in turn, the plants provide the wearer with pure oxygen.

The helmet also features an intercom so the user can communicate with others. Fresh, oxygenated air is the purpose of this weird invention that has been patented.

Really Cool Shoes

The temperature of a person’s feet is addressed by this patented invention. The basic design is a series of chambers which contract to create wind which blows over cooled coils. This system turns ambient air cooler, which is then channeled to the wearer’s feet, cooling them. The shoe also features a way to switch the coils from cooling to heating which makes them into foot warmers.

These inventions may seem strange, but the inventors had enough confidence in them to seek and be granted a patent. This should give you confidence about your own crazy idea. The first step is the research, which we have written about in this article about a patent search.

Take a look, and know that you are in good company with your weird patent. For further reading on weird patents, take a look here for the 25 weirdest patents.

If you need help with a weird patent, patent application or any legal need, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel’s marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5-percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law, and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with, or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.