I figure a big part of this blog is going to be holidays. They are a stimulant for the creative mind–a framework to drape a blog post around, or an invention. So, on this the sixth day of Hanukkah: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6053622A
Is it uncouth of me to post this after sundown on a Friday? If you’re reading this now, and you feel guilty about that, I’m sorry for contributing. But, since we’re here, we may as well take it in!
Menorahs with light bulbs instead of candles are known to the art. Typically, such menorahs are turned on and off by tightening and loosening the light bulbs in their sockets. However, light bulbs use a significant amount of electrical power, and frequently burn out. Moreover, tightening a light bulb in a socket lacks the ceremony that should attend the religious act of lighting a menorah.
USP 6,053,622, col. 1, lns 34-40
The wand has a magnet or an LED at its end, and sensors in the base detect when the wand comes nearby, lighting up the corresponding candle in response. That way you can evoke a suitable sense of drama by pointing with a wand, rather than fiddling with lightbulbs.
Honestly, I’ve got no complaints about this one. The claims are well-written, the device serves a purpose that is clearly related to the religious practice, and the applicant went into an impressive-but-unnecessary level of detail. I mean, just look at this:
Did they need to show the ultra-simple schematic for each and every light? They sure didn’t. But I appreciate them for it.
Patenting the odd, the impossible, and the unnerving 