Patents Issued the Week of October 14-18

10.18.24

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

U.S. Patent No. 12,117,262 entitled “Thumbrest for Handgun” issued October 15, 2024 to and also invented by Gary M. Coonan of Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Abstract: A thumbrest for a handgun is provided, the thumbrest having at least a thumb support and a support base. The support base may be configured for mounting to the handgun. The thumb support may be pivotably movable with respect to the support base or a lateral side of a handgun frame, pivoting between a collapsed position, wherein the thumb support may be folded up adjacent to, or in contact with, the support base or the lateral side of the handgun frame, and an extended position, wherein the thumb support may be pivoted away from the support base or the lateral side of the handgun frame. In other embodiments, a spring may be configured to bias the thumb support toward the extended position, and a stop structure may be configured to limit pivotal movement of the thumb support, such that liming pivotal movement of the thumb support defines the extended position.

U.S. Patent No. 12,114,774 entitled “Removable Barrier for a Shelf” issued October 15, 2024 to Ingram Book Group LLC of LaVergne, Tennessee. Invented by Jonathan S. Jobst, Michael W. Jeans, and Christopher S. Willis all of LaVergne, Tennessee. Abstract: A strap anchor assembly is disclosed herein and configured to be coupled to a storage racking having a plurality of vertical supports with retaining holes defined therein. The strap anchor assembly may comprise at least one mounting bracket and a plurality of strap retainers. The at least one mounting bracket including a plurality of holes and one or more studs configured to be received by certain ones of the retaining holes of the storage racking. Each of the plurality of strap retainers configured to be received by one of the plurality of holes of the at least one mounting bracket. An end portion of a strap is configured to be received through one of the plurality of holes and wrapped at least partially around one of the plurality of strap retainers prior to the one of the plurality of strap retainers being received by the associated hole.