Inventing for Santa!
In all fields of human endeavour and interest there are patents to reflect inventive thinking – Christmas is no exception!
There are thousands to choose from – Christmas trees attract a lot of interest with inventions that include: holders; watering devices; revolvers; suspenders; etc. With ‘Health & Safety’ in mind, there are also lots of fire safety devices with extinguishers either being concealed in baubles or by nozzles strategically placed under/within the tree.
One of my favourites is the ‘Santa Claus Detector’, Invented by Thomas Cane and published by the USPTO in 1996. The invention comprises a ribbon tape which is suspended across your fireplace. If the tape is broached by Santa, when he comes down the chimney, then the stockings (or Santa figure) are illuminated. On Christmas morning this will ‘prove’ to young children that Santa has made his visit and that their efforts to ‘be good’ have all been worth it. As Santa moves in mysterious ways I’m not sure if he would actually set-off the alarm. Presumably dad, or mum, will have to help out in this instance - although it’s not mentioned in the patent specification. It’s a good job that he didn’t think of a motion-triggered camera or things could get even more complicated!
My second example is the ‘Christmas Tree Vibrator’ (no sniggering at the back) invented by Leo Smith and published by the USPTO in 1950. Although the Christmas Tree Vibrator sounds eye-watering in its fiendishness it is actually designed to provide visual stimulation. Mr Smith feels that a gently vibrating Christmas tree will enhance the shimmering effects of tinsel and baubles with the added pleasure of the tinkling sound of the decorations. Anything else is all your minds.
Happy Christmas.
