Barbie Doll Invention
May 9, 2012
Inventions, Inventors, Patents
The Barbie doll was invented by Ruth Handler in 1959. Barbie was named after her daughter and the Ken doll was also named after her son. The Ken doll was introduced in 1961.
Image source: barbie.com
The first Barbie doll character was a teenage fashion model called Barbie Millicent Roberts. The doll has since had more than 125 different characters including a doctor, astronaut, businesswoman, police officer, UNICEF volunteer and athlete. Barbie has achieved the title of the most popular fashion doll ever created.
Image source: barbie.com
In 1960 the success of the Barbie doll led Mattel, Inc. to become a publicly-owned company and in 1967 Ruth Handler became President of Mattel, Inc.
Image source: barbie.com
Barbie doll had either brown or blond hair with red hair added in 1961, and only 19 years later the first African American Barbie and Hispanic Barbie were introduced.
Image source: barbie.com
300 000 Barbie dolls were sold in the first year of production and the best-selling Barbie doll ever was the Totally Hair Barbie from 1992, with hair from top to toe.
Image source: barbie.com
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Recipe Patents
May 4, 2012
Inventions, Inventors, Patents
Is it possible to patent food recipes in South Africa? The South African Patents Act does not reject recipes for patent protection, but recipes must be subject to the provisions of the Act. The recipe has to be new, involve an inventive step and be capable of being used in trade, industry or agriculture.
Click here for more information regarding Food Recipe Patents
A method of combining ingredients is patentable according to the Patents Act, but merely combining certain ingredients may only be patentable if the ingredients have never been combined before or the combining order is new. These combined ingredients would also have to result in something new and not be obvious.
Full Article Food Recipe Patents
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The Zipper Invention
April 24, 2012
Intellectual Property News, Inventions, Patents
In 1917 Electrical engineer Gideon Sundback invented the zipper. He was born on 24 April 1880. When he finished his studies in Sweden, he moved to Germany and studied at the polytechnic school in Bingen am Rhein where he took his engineer exam. In 1905 Gideon Sundback emigrated to the United States.
Gideon Sundback worked on the development of the zipper between 1906 and 1914. He finally solved a pulling-apart problem with his invention of the first version of the “Hookless Fastener No. 1″. His invention had two facing rows of teeth that pulled into a single piece by the slider, and increased the opening for the teeth guided by the slider. In 1914 Gideon Sundback developed a version based on interlocking teeth, the “Hookless No. 2“, which was the modern metal zipper as we know it.
The name zipper was created in 1923 by B.F. Goodrich. During that time, boots and tobacco pouches were the primary use for zippers. At the time of World War II the zipper was accepted for fashion on the flies of trousers and the plackets of skirts and dresses. Gideon Sundback also invented the manufacturing machine for the zipper.
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Patent an Idea
March 9, 2012
Inventions, Patents
Patent an idea or an invention in South Africa with the help of the patent attorneys at Smit & Van Wyk, Inc.
Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. attorneys specialize in patent applications, PCT filings, patent searches and patent renewals in most African countries including South Africa. Patent applications are filed with the CIPC in Pretoria, South Africa.
South Africa is a member of the Paris Convention and PCT
The deadline for filing PCT national phase applications is 31 months from the earliest priority date. The Registrar of Patents has a discretion to extend the national phase entry deadline by 3 months, on formal request made to him by the applicant.
Patent Requirements
Absolute novelty (new) – Disclosure anywhere in the world before the filing date of a South African patent application will destroy the novelty of your invention, thereby forfeiting your patent rights.
Susceptible to industrial application.
Must represent an inventive activity.
Patent Protection Duration
Non-PCT applications – 20 years from the South African filing date.
PCT national phase applications – 20 years from the filing date of the PCT International application.
Patent Renewals
No maintenance fees are payable on pending applications. Renewal fees become payable once the patent is granted. The first renewal fee falls due on the 1st anniversary of the filing date, and subsequent renewal fees are payable annually thereafter.
Contact Details for Smit & Van Wyk, Inc.
Tel:
2712 349 7800
Fax:
2786 619 0493
E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za
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Patent Lawyers AFRICA
February 23, 2012
Attorneys, Intellectual Property Information, Intellectual Property News, Inventions, Patents, Trade Marks ™ ®
Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. is an intellectual property law firm that specialize in obtaining and protecting your patent, trademark and design rights. Our focus is to provide legal services for intellectual property such as patents, trademarks and designs throughout Africa.
Our specialist patent and trademark lawyers serve international and local clients with patent filings and maintenance, and trademark registrations and renewals. We also provide legal advice on commercial rights attached to patents, trademarks and designs.
Our intellectual property services include:
PATENTS
Inventions : Biotechnology | Business Methods | Electrical | Electronic | Mechanical | Mining | Nanotechnology | Software
Patent applications, filings and registrations
Patent novelty search
Patent maintenance and renewals
Patent licensing
REGISTERED DESIGNS
Designs : Aesthetic | Functional | Industrial | Interaction | Patterns | Products
Design applications, filings and registrations
Design novelty search
Design maintenance and renewals
Design licensing
TRADEMARK
Marks : Combinations | Colors | Letters | Logos | Names | Numbers | Packaging | Shapes | Slogans
Trademark registrations
Trademark novelty search
Trademark maintenance and renewals
Trademark licensing
COPYRIGHT
Works : Books | Blogs | Broadcasts | Films | Novels | Photographs | Poems | Software Codes | Songs | Sounds
Copyright film registrations, U.S registrations
Copyright licensing
Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. also created an additional website with all the necessary information regarding intellectual property for all African countries. Here you can get information regarding the international treaties and member states, intellectual property offices, patent applications, design applications, trademark registrations, requirements and dates, as well as an in depth look at each country’s problems and infrastructure.
You can visit the international website here:
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