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Trick or Patent! Halloween and IP

In addition to Christmas and Easter, a third holiday now dominates the seasonal offerings in the stores: Halloween. Halloween’s global appeal now makes it a billion-dollar business, and with that growth comes a high demand for intellectual property rights.

Pumpkins belong to Halloween like the rabbit belongs to Easter. It’s hardly surprising that numerous patents center around the iconic image of the pumpkin.

Patent US9022595B1. describes an illuminated Halloween candy container featuring a double-layered design with a smaller inner container surrounded by a larger, translucent outer container, creating a glowing effect through LED lights. The LEDs illuminate decorative patterns, while a digital media player adds spooky sound effects. Resembling a jack-o-lantern or bucket, the design makes for both a practical and festive Halloween accessory.

Figure 1: an illuminated Halloween candy container

 

Another pumpkin lantern appears in patent US20140183326A1. This Halloween jack-o-lantern stand features a motorized platform that rotates the pumpkin, activated by a motion sensor on the base. Equipped with exterior profile lights, interior lighting, sound effects, and optional moving parts, the stand is designed to create a lively, animated display. The jack-o-lantern is secured with prongs on the rotating platform, making it an interactive Halloween decoration.
Figure 2: a Halloween pumpkin/jack-o-lantern stand
A Halloween greeting system for prompting young children to remember to say “trick or treat” and “thank you” is described in patent US20100128588A1 The Halloween treat container can be, for example, a bag or a pumpkin container. A voice recorder/audio player combination device can be attached to the container, either on the inside or the outside of the container. When the child arrives at a residence and the door opens, the parents may want to wait to hear if their child says “trick or treat.” If the child does not say “trick or treat,” the parent can then press a key/button on a remote control unit for the “trick or treat” phrase to be played by the audio player.
Figure 3: a Halloween greeting system
Various kinds of decorative masks are commonly used during Halloween. Patent US6035447A describes a Halloween mask with flash device, which can increase the attractive effect and the sense of reality for the mask, and also can enhance the safety of the wearer.
Figure 4: a Halloween mask with flash device
Halloween’s rise as a global holiday has sparked a wave of patented inventions that redefine its classic symbols. These patents add new layers of fun and functionality to traditional Halloween items. As the holiday continues to expand, these innovations underscore the pervasive influence of patents across all areas of human knowledge.

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Trick or Patent! Halloween and IP

In addition to Christmas and Easter, a third holiday now dominates the seasonal offerings in the stores: Halloween. Halloween’s global appeal now makes it a billion-dollar business, and with that growth comes a high demand for intellectual property rights. Pumpkins

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