In a prime example of sibling rivalry breeding inspiration and innovation, Kellogg brothers Will and John created a number of products to help patients in their sanatorium.
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Pass the orange juice, please! Taking a fresh orange and squeezing the juice from it provided a sip or two with your morning meal. But getting enough juice for a glass or a pitcher was time-consuming. Enter the Fruit Juicer. In 1949, H.C. Johnson patented a machine that would manually juice a whole piece of fruit (US Pat. No. 2,705,452) making the process quicker.
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Why does a person seek a patent? While there are many reasons, in basic terms – “I have an idea that will improve life, make life easier or help mankind”. As we continue to celebrate Better Breakfast Month here at Behmke Innovation Group, let’s have a look at a kitchen item that has been used since long before the registering of patents began, but continues to improve and evolve - cookware.
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While waffles have been around since the 1400s, Mr. Swaetwout’s design included a handle and a hinge for easy flipping without spillage. A version of this design was popular at the Chicago World’s Fair – and sold for a penny!
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Today we celebrate everyone’s best friend - the dog! From the smallest teacup chihuahua to the largest Great Dane (who thinks he’s a teacup dog), we love our pets. And thanks to dog leashes, like the one patented by Charles Andrew Taylor in 1942, we’re able to show them off and share them with the neighborhood – always remembering to clean up after them! Throw the ball a couple of extra times for them today in honor of National Dog Day. Photo by Bonnie Kittle via Unsplash
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In 1888 when George Eastman patented his camera, the selling price for the Kodak box camera was $25. Today, that same camera would cost about $680, the price of a low-end smartphone that not only takes photos but also provides a lifeline for many! His box camera was 7” x 4” x 3.5” image carrying that around to snap a picture of your dinner. Progress? You be the judge. Photo by William Bayreuther via Unsplash
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Shout out to Esther Brown for helping all who sunburn easily to be able to enjoy the beach! Ms. Brown’s beach umbrella design, patented in 1938, makes our time at the beach much more comfortable. Spending Relaxation Day at the beach under a beach umbrella is time well spent. Pass me the sunscreen please! Photo by Celeste Shepherd via Unsplash
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Over the past several months sewing machines have been brought out of the closet and are being used more and more frequently as people are re-discovering the joy of fabric projects. And we’d be amiss not to thank the sewing machine for the hundreds of thousands of masks they’ve been kicking out for everyone to use. Isaac Singer patented his first commercial sewing machine in 1851, but he was sued for patent infringement and lost his case in 1854. Oops, should have checked his design a little more closely!
Photo by Annie Spratt via Unsplash
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