Every summer it seems like new products enter the market to accompany us on our vacations and adventures. From classic products like sunglasses to new ones like inventive toys, we’ll take a look at the patents that have contributed to a great American summer from past and present decades.

Sunglasses  

Sunglasses are a summer staple. It’s hard to go outside in the blazing sun without covering your eyes (unless you want to squint all day). The history of sunglasses goes far back and some of today’s most well-known brands had a major impact on the evolution of outdoor eyewear. Popular brands, such as Foster Grant and Rayban, came along the sunglasses scene to serve the specific purposes of protecting our eyes from the sun and preventing glare. Another infamous brand of sunglasses is Oakley, who holds more than 600 patents for smart technology in glasses. Thanks to evolving technology and patents in eyewear, the way we cover our eyes can serve as more than just fashion; it also protects us from the sun’s harmful rays and reduces risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Beach Towel

The beach towel is a staple item that allows us to lay down on the beach without worrying about our belongings—or ourselves—getting all sandy. The beach towel is a development from the bath towel, but larger and more fluffy, allowing us to dry off easier at the beach. As such, it’s not necessarily an item that would be eligible for a utility patent. However, that doesn’t stop inventors from improving on the original idea…

Since a beach towel is only one of the many things we lug to the beach in preparation for a day in the sun, this invention can help make the trip easier by lightening your load. This patented beach towel and tote bag is a beach towel that folds into an attached tote bag, preventing the user from carrying yet one more thing.

Popsicle Drip Guard

Everyone enjoys a nice frozen popsicle treat to cool off during the summer, but no one likes getting a sticky mess on their hands. Popsicles can drip quickly in the summer heat, so this popsicle drip guard can make it easy to contain the mess if you don’t eat it quickly enough. This product can also be great for little ones! It was in fact, the children of the popsicle inventor, Frank Epperson, who officially coined the term pop’s sicle. It was only after he mixed soda powder and water with a stick and left it out overnight on a chilly night when he was a young boy, that the popsicle we know today was born.

Water Balloon Catapult

There are few summertime activities more fun than having a water balloon fight. This patent is essentially a handheld slingshot for water balloons, helping you gain more accuracy against your opponent. Slingshots were devices that were used in battle a long time ago and were considered pretty deadly, but this water balloon version has more friendly intentions for a day in the backyard.

Here at Global Patent Solutions, we spend all day each day swimming in patent literature and public prior art, helping our clients to better understand how they can position their applications or maintenance budgets to maximize effictiveness and profits. If you have a fun summertime patent idea and would like to see if there is prior art already in existence, Global Patent Solutions can help you in your search. Contact us today for more information.