Running patents
I was digging in the Patent Office database and came across a few patents that had to do with running. If you click on the link at the top of each page for “images” you may get to see what each invention looks like. Some browsers may need to download a plugin.
Running computer design patent
Running shoe with integral timer
This one below is a patent application.
When you apply for a patent, they publish your application after 18 months (unless you ask them not to, but then you can’t apply for a foreign patent unless you let them do it). Sometimes the applications can be quote silly or strange just because they haven’t been examined yet.
If you want do some interesting searches at the USPTO, go to the search page for the applications, then type in “spec/” (leave off the quote marks) followed by any odd word or a phrase in quotes (this gives you a search in the specification for that word or phrase). For example:
spec/”dog poop”
Another very interesting search is to search the title of the applications. Try:
ttl/”God”
Some folks have very interesting ideas about patentable subject matter.
