As I wrote some time ago about the expiring LZW patent it would generally be fine to have a searchable patent database …

well – Kim from freePatentsOnline mailed me today about their service… and it's pretty impressing to search there and download the full patent text via PDF... that's worth a post and a bookmark :-)

Very funny is the Crazy Patents Section with impressive patents listed such as:

• Religious Meditation Apparatus
• Light Bulk Changer : How many machines does it take to change a light bulb? * Eating counter apparatus for mobile vending vehicle : This guy must have been sitting around with a hotdog cart, a park bench, and a welding torch, and decided he needed to patent something using only these three things.
• Ballistic resistant body covering : From the picture, one would guess that this is a super hero costume which purports to protect the wearer from bullets. All I can do here is to pray for the test engineers. Good luck pals.
• Tamper Resistant Institutional Shoe And Method
• Inclining coffin : sitting upright in a coffin ?
• Pillow with retractable umbrella : LOL ...
• Chin Putter : seriously?
• Mouse device with a built-in printer : MEGA LOL
• Beerbrella : Keeps the sun off your beer – like some fun gadgets… UBER LOL
• Stud Spectacles : Eyeglasses that don't need a frame because they attach to body piercings on the face… ARG

OMG... this is really freakin funny… check it out