IP Corner: Five Spooky Season Patents!
With Spooky Season fast approaching, inventors everywhere are hard at work thinking about better ways to set up their spooky decorations, easier ways to carve their pumpkins, more creative costume designs! In the spirit of having some Halloween fun while staying safe and healthy, here are four Halloween-related patents you should know about this year.
1) Chemiluminescent illuminated costume safety mask
As explained in the patent, “It is well known that masks restrict the visibility of the wearer and when the mask is worn when lighting is poor, the combination is most dangerous since safety is then dependent upon someone else, such as an automobile driver.” The inventors therefore created “a mask that can be shaped to simulate a human, robot, alien, animal or other feature such as a face, heart, kidney, spine, limb, veins, appendages,” etc.
2.) Self-standing display figure
Want to join in with the Halloween festivities but not sure about opening the front door every five minutes for Trick or Treaters? This may be the perfect solution to ensure children can get their treats without you having to leave the front room!
According to the inventors, “a self-standing toy skeleton display” includes a skeleton body that has a human form and is made of a plurality of connectable body parts that are each formed of bone structures…. The skeleton toy display also includes an inner frame for supporting the skeleton in a standing manner.”
3) Weather and climate adaptive Halloween costume
Typical Halloween costumes are made of thin, flimsy material which provides no warmth or protection from the elements. But who wants to wear their winter coat over their costume? The invention provides a weather and climate adaptive Halloween costume which provides a solution. The patent explains “The insulative material is disposed over at least a portion of the first garment base member portion. Another portion of the costume comprises a venting material that functions as a ventilator for the Halloween costume.”
4) Pressure-sensitive composite for decorating surfaces of fruits and vegetables and use thereof
Everyone enjoys a good jack o’ lantern carving. However, it is impossible to know who previously touched your pumpkin and whether it is germ-free and safe to handle. Admittedly, this was clearly not the issue the inventors were trying to address (the filing date is pre-Corona!): their invention “is directed to a method and kit for transferring a pattern onto the surface of fruits and vegetables after which the pattern may be cut to present a decorative appearance.” However, as can be seen in the figures, the invention enables the user to easily transfer a design to a pumpkin with minimal contact to the surface, keeping one’s hands clean while preparing to carve. And as a bonus, the user of this invention may actually win this year’s pumpkin carving contest!