#27-28 - Apparatus for high-five, and leaning anti-gravity method

#27 - Apparatus for high-five

#28 - Leaning anti-gravity method

#28 - Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion (silly patents week)

In my scout for silly patents, I found this 'method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion' using specially design shoes. How it works is that a person can lean forward more than usual, giving the illusion and appearance of defying gravity by leaning forward without falling using these special shoes. (See the full patent here). This is patent 452.

Watch him defy gravity by leaning forward! Let's ask ourselves: is this novel? Well... it's a bit hard to say. I would say 'yes' given that the 'lean forward' motion in general is a dance move popularized by Michael Jackson in his routines and music videos. It is difficult to achieve without being superbly skilled at dance, so this method through using shoes allows a person to 'cheat' without mastering the move. In that way, I would say it's novel. It's a way of using the move without being skilled. The patent was also issued in 1993, which is around the time that the move was used as well... so we can see that it's possibly directly influenced by the culture. 

Obvious or not? I would say nonobvious, because the real obvious way to do it would be to define the practice and regimen to achieve this without the shoes. And is this a valid patent? Well, despite the silliness, I would say yes, given the fact that while it's silly, it does feature something new and useful for those who might be in the field of dance.

#27 - Apparatus for simulating a high five (Silly patents week)

Among the world of silly and obscure patents, there exists one that is an "apparatus for simulating a high five," comprising movable arm movement with specifics regarding the action that needs to be taken. This is US patent 330. (See the full patent here)

Now, this is truly a silly patent given that it is not novel. Surely in someone had some time had used this as a gesture prior to 1994, which was the year that the patent was issued. Obvious or not? I think pretty obvious. Most people have used high fives as a gesture of accomplishment or satisfaction for centuries, and the mechanics of the arm movements are nothing new and unnoticed. The only thing new about this invention is that it is mimicking a high five as opposed to being one from a physical human being. So we have yet to answer--is this a truly useful device?

Observe the silliness that it truly is. The only usefulness might be for someone who has their arm paralyzed... but you might wonder what else an arm whose mechanics functions for a high five can do. Whether or not we should consider this to be a valid patent or not... well, I can't imagine that anyone or anything could infringe upon this. So we'll see.