Glaringly Obvious

Like a lot of us bipedal apes who work at sedentary jobs, I make an effort to move around during my workday. I recently got a sit-stand converter for my desk, which at least helps me by forcing me to hold still in a position that's different from the one my body slumps into while I'm sitting in my chair. There's plenty of research and press about how damaging sitting can be to one's health. Of course there's some truth behind that, but I'm pretty sure that me sitting at my desk, reading and writing all day, comes with less danger and fewer health risks than, say, fishing, logging, or piloting an airplane. Nevertheless, I try not to sit for my whole workday. Having typed that, actually, let me just stand up...

... which is putting some terrible glare in my eyes from the lightbulb above my desk. It doesn't bother me when I'm sitting, but when I stand up my head is in a slightly different spot, a bit closer to that lightbulb, and the glare is irritating.

Did you think I'd use this post to talk about patents for sit-stand desk converters? Or that old standby, the lightbulb? Well, think again! Because with that glare in my eye, the first thing I thought of was the green eyeshade that people wear in movies. I don't know about you, but the first image that comes to mind for me, of course, is Data dealing out a hand of poker. But I can also picture them atop the heads of row upon row of accountants, bent over their tedious drudgery in a 1920s office just prior to the Great Depression.

That type of eyeshade was a patented invention. Submitted by William Mahony in 1899, and granted on May 26th, 1903, the patent protected improvements to eyeshades. The claims detailed a flat, transparent body, along with an adjustable head-strap, positioned so that the body can block light, but the wearer can still see through it. Presumably that way an accountant doesn't have to move their head to look at their boss looming over them - they can literally remain bent to their task.

The patent notes in the specification that the body of one model that the inventor built had "a shade or color to neutralize the action of the light-rays upon the eyes of the wearer." But the color green is not mentioned in the claims. This is an example of good patent practice. By keeping the claims as broad as possible, the patent practitioner was able to protect more of the inventor's ideas. The common green color of eyeshades was apparently a response to harsh incandescent lights that were common at the time. In a way, it was the invention of the incandescent light which provided the impetus for the invention of Mahony's eyeshade. Inventions beget inventions.

The eyeshade is still with us, but Mahony's patent expired in 1920. So Data was able to replicate his sparkly future eyeshade without any licensing agreement. Speaking of licensing agreements, please note that I am not a lawyer. I can't help with licensing agreements. Nothing in this blog post should be taken as legal advice. I am a patent agent, so I can help with writing, submitting, and prosecuting a patent. If you'd like to work with me, please don't hesitate to reach out. Just know that the only way to become my client is to sign an engagement letter with me.

By the way, I solved the problem of that lightbulb glaring in my eyes - but I didn't get an eyeshade. Shortly after I stood up at my desk, the lightbulb burned out. I have chosen not to replace it. Problem solved!

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