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As consumer appetite grows for craft beers, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has seen an increase of 12% in the number of beer-related trade marks registered in 2014 compared to 2013. There is expected to be an even bigger increase this year. A Sign that Business is Good for Breweries? A rise in trade mark applications is usually a sign that business in that sector is doing well, with plenty of room for new products and brands and a…
The Launchpad competition, organised by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), has been won by the inventor of an inflatable incubator. The winner receives £15000, together with mentoring and support from the RAE’s Enterprise Hub. Inflatable Incubator James Roberts is a 23-year old product design student at Loughborough University. His inflatable incubator is low-cost and is designed for use in developing countries, where lack of suitable facilities means babies who could survive often do not. Invention Flourishing in the UK…
In a strong field of entries, SH&P client Guardian Maritime Limited was recently awarded the prestigious Horners Award for innovation in plastics design and manufacture. The award, which is given jointly by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) and the Worshipful Company of Horners was awarded to Guardian Maritime Limited for the Guardian™ anti-piracy barrier. Teresa Stevens, the inventor of the Guardian™ anti-piracy barrier, received the award earlier this month in a glittering ceremony at Mansion House. Courtesy: Horners Securing intellectual…
In a young, growing and potentially very lucrative market, patents, design rights and reputation matter. Two of the best-known names in the wearable activity tracking device market, Jawbone and Fitbit, are currently battling each other over allegations of poaching staff, industrial espionage and patent infringement. Both companies have a loyal user following and have been concentrating on establishing and protecting their businesses by filing for patent and design rights, whilst jealously guarding their technological and strategy planning secrets. Jawbone accuses…
A Canadian technology company has been granted a US patent for an innovative system of sending people and equipment into space, making the whole process of getting into space much more efficient and potentially safer. Thoth Technology has designed a ‘space elevator’ which reaches 12.4 miles into the sky, allowing the top to sit in the stratosphere. From here, rockets could be launched in a single-stage process; and even return to the tower for refuelling. Inflatable Components A fully functioning…
Crowdfunding has proved to be an imaginative and often lucrative way for inventors and start-up businesses to raise money to fund the prototyping, production and sale of new products. The inventor Sir Clive Sinclair has recently seen great success in raising money to update his iconic ZX Spectrum computer, and is now back with funding website Kickstarter to see if he can do the same for the A-Bike Electric. Commuter-led Invention The A-Bike Electric is not quite a new kid…
Crime-cutting Letterbox A potentially life-saving device is being patented by its UK inventor. Andy Ging, from Oakwood in Derby has developed a product called ‘Letterbox Sentry’ which is designed to protect people who are living with harassment or abuse. Home Security The letterbox is a significant development in home security, as standard letterboxes can be the method of entry into the house for a wide range of illegal activities, including arson and burglary. Fires have been caused by pouring accelerant…
Figures published by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) show that it received nearly 55000 trade mark applications in 2014; an increase of more than 8% on 2013, and of almost 25% since 2012. The Top Applicants The following companies were the top ten filers of trade mark applications in the UK in 2014:- Glaxo Group (UK) British American Tobacco (US) BVIPR (UK) Aldi Stores (UK) Unilever (UK) British American Tobacco (UK) Asda Stores (UK) Akzo Nobel Coatings International BV…
As car manufacturers continue to develop and test new technologies that are designed to make driving easier and safer, Google has filed a patent application that gives new insight into its plans for a self-driving car. Google’s car will use a range of sensors to ensure it operates safely, taking into account other road users as well as road conditions. In particular, its latest patent demonstrates how it will use sensors, radar and a camera to collect data about objects…
A recent study by Thomson Reuters shows that the UK fell significantly behind its major European competitors, France and Germany, in the number of patents filed in 2014. Patents originating from Germany numbered over 56,000 during the year, with French companies filing just over 11,500. By contrast, applicants from the UK filed just 6,619. Patents for German Technology Germany is home to a number of leading technology companies, all of which are investing a significant amount in research and development. …