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Tis the season for friends, family, food and… fantastically odd patents? In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, we thought we’d take a look at some unique, related patents that may or may not ever reach the market. Check out a few selections below:
This patent for “Pumpkin Powder” was first issued back in the late 1800s, with the intention of providing consumers with a more convenient ingredient for making pies, among other things. Essentially, the patented system centers around removing the pulp from a fresh pumpkin, drying it out and then grinding it into a powder to be combined with starch, creating a substance that can later be used to make delicious pumpkin-flavored treats.
While we’re on the topic of treats, let’s take a look at this patent for an “Anti-Eating Face Mask,” issued to Lucy Barmby of Sacramento back in 1982. This peculiar accessory is designed to help fight the growing issue of obesity, at least that’s according to the invention’s background, by allowing a person to strap a “cup-shaped member” over his or her mouth, thus preventing the ingestion of food.
However, if you just can’t get enough meat this holiday season, you’re in luck. Japanese inventor Kineo Okada has patented a method of producing alcoholic beverages from fermented animal extract, or meat. Using lactic acid bacteria and yeast to ferment “meat extract, meat stock and/or bone extract,” Okada has essentially created a way to produce meat-flavored, meat-based beer and spirits.
Whatever the meal plan may be, you’ll probably want to make sure you have all the tools you’ll need to make it memorable. This patent for an “Inflatable Solar Oven,” could help do just that. Patented in the late 1990s, this inflatable sphere can be blown up and secured to the ground, positioned to receive optimal sunlight, cooking and/or heating your food the all-natural way. It’s described as being comprised of a flexible material with “a large, concave reflective surface that will direct the sun’s rays upon a container for food or water that is to be cooked or heated.”
Have any other unique patents you’d like to share? Let us know a little about them in the comments!