More Patented Toys Pt. 2
We did a blogpost on patented toys earlier last week. But there are too many patented toys to cover in one blog post. So this week, we will be covering more patented toys! Lets dive straight in.
Etch A Sketch
We’ve all doodled with an Etch A Sketch growing up. The famous drawing toy is covered by U.S. patent no. 4,856,197 and titled “Drawing device having retractable stylus.” Have you ever wondered how the Etch A Sketch works? The patent describes the Etch A Sketch or similar embodiments as a device that can produce line drawings or sketches by utilizing transparent screens and powder that slightly sticks or adheres to the undersurface of the screen to render it opaque. Either way, using one of these toys was always fun.
Click here to read the entire patent on the Etch-a-Sketch.
Twister
We’ve probably seen a commercial for the Twister game at least once in our lifetime. The game can be played with multiple people and is a sure fire way to have fun. Twister is covered by U.S. patent no. 3,454,279 and titled “apparatus for playing a game wherein the players constitute the game pieces.”
Click here to read the entire patent on the Twister game.
Slinky
The marvelous Slinky. The toy that can travel down the stairs by itself when done correctly by using gravity. The toy that gets tangled time to time. The Slinky is covered by U.S. patent no. 2,415,012 and titled “Toy and process of use.” The patent states that the Slinky is a toy that is capable of transferring turns from one end to the other when bent in a general semi-circular form.
Click here to read the entire Slinky patent.
Legos
Legos are probably one of the most popular toys to date. You can spend hours building structures. Not only that, Legos have been expanded to include various other universes, like the Star Wars universe and the Harry Potter universe. Legos are covered by U.S. patent no. 3,005,282 and titled “Toy building blocks.”
Click here to read the entire Legos patent.
Lego Figures
The Lego blocks are always fun to play with, but the Lego Figures can always make it a little more entertaining. These figures come in a variety of different types. The classic Lego Figure is covered by patent no. USD 253,711.
Click here to read the entire patent on the Lego figures.
Click here to read the entire patent on a different version of the Lego Figures.
Barbie
The Barbie doll is probably another one of the most famous toys to date. From toys, to movies, to even parody songs, the Barbie Doll has become a big part of entertainment. We’ve seen several different versions of Barbie. But one of the earlier Barbie Dolls was covered by Patent No. US. 3,009,284 and titled “Doll construction.”
Click here to read the entire patent on Barbie.
Patents and toys
As we can see, patents can cover toys and board games. Patents are not exclusive to some extremely high-tech invention. Something can qualify for a utility patent if it’s considered novel, non-obvious, have some sort of utility, and be considered patentable subject matter. Utility patents generally last 20 years and allow the patent holder to stop an unauthorized party from making, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing a device covered by the patent into the United States.
But there are different types of patents!
In addition to utility patents, some toys can qualify for design patents, such as the Lego Figures. Design patents are geared towards protecting ornamental features. Design patents generally last 15 years or so. Thus, there is a variety of intellectual property protection toys can qualify for!
What are your thoughts on the patented toys? Leave a comment below to let us know what you think!
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Disclaimer: This article is not legal advice. It is only for educational or entertainment purposes only. Please do not use the article or contents of the article without permission. For legal advice and questions, please contact registered Patent Attorney Vincent LoTempio.
