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This is where you stick random tidbits of information about yourself.
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Tuesday, April 16, 2002
At http://www.uspto.gov/, the US Patent and Trademark Office website, we find patent 6,368,227, awarded April 9, 2002. The abstract:
"Method of swinging on a swing
Abstract
A method of swing on a swing is disclosed, in which a user positioned on a standard swing suspended by two chains from a substantially horizontal tree branch induces side to side motion by pulling alternately on one chain and then the other."
I kid you not. It exists. Even verified it at the http://www.delphion.com patent database.
And, should you say "What's the big deal?", let me quote from the US patent law:
"Novelty And Non-Obviousness, Conditions For Obtaining A Patent
In order for an invention to be patentable it must be new as defined in the patent law, which provides that an invention cannot be patented if: “(a) the invention was known or used by others in this country, or patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country, before the invention thereof by the applicant for patent,” or “(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country more than one year prior to the application for patent in the United States...”
Perhaps this was all meant as a joke, but it never should have passed the patent review. But was it really meant as a joke? The last line of the patent reads:
"Licenses are available from the inventor upon request."
9:04 AM
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