These are some of the absolute Strangest Inventions that Someone Actually Tried to Patent

A Snake Walking System… Yes, You Read that Right

A snake walking system was actually patented. It’s extremely confusing, pointless, and strange. The snake walking device was patented, so people could safely collar snakes in order to spend more quality time with their reptile outside.

A Device to Stop Thumb-Sucking

If you believe your child is too old to still have the habit of sucking their thumb, there’s a device for that. A bracelet is attached to a covering for the thumb made of a metal casing. It is adjusted and custom fit to your child’s thumb.

Portable Bath

Originally patented in 1970, this device is a portable bath capsule. We believe this device is quite strange. The capsule was made to slip over the patient and then filled with water. This would then clean the patient faster and in a more efficient way.

Crustless PB&J Sandwich

Smucker’s attempted to patent their sealed crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich, in 2005. Many lawyers found this invention to be unlikely, and it became the laughing stock for many. It’s quite impossible to patent something so common.

Fly Swatter

We all know how annoying house flies can be. According to this patent, the traditional fly swatters are huge and actually have hygiene concerns. This tiny device sits at the end of your index finger and by easily flicking it; you can ward off flies from bugging you.

Alert Buzzer

Are you in need of a device that will keep you awake during long days at work? All you have to do is just bite down on this vibrating wand and you will be jolted into being wide awake. This buzzing wand will transmit vibrations to your brain that will jolt you awake. That doesn’t sound very comfortable.

Long-Haired Dog Ear Protectors

In 1979, this patent was filed. It expressed concern that long-haired dogs get their ears dirty with food, while they are trying to eat. The device has two tubes that would slip over the dog’s ears, while something in the back attaches to them both- holding them both up.

Banana Case

It can be frustrating when you buy bananas, but they bruise before you can eat them. This invention acts like a banana suitcase, as it keeps your fruit safe while you travel.

Gerbil Vest

If you’ve ever wanted to carry your gerbil to the store, then this is the invention for you. The vest or belt is integrated with a tubular system that extends around the person’s body. The outer-wall is transparent so the animal can be seen by others.

Disposable Underwear

The idea for this invention and also the description of this patent is that there is a need for clean underwear universally. The original patent was for the underwear to be made out of material similar to VIVA paper towels. This would allow for them to fit like a standard boxer.

Flatulence Deodorizer

The people who created this are just trying to make the world smell a little better. If you’re worried about fluctuating, there’s an invention for that. It’s apparently made up of charcoal pads which absorb and filter the flatulence.

A Dog Chastity Belt

The first dog chastity belt patent was filed in 2003. This invention is for pet owners who are reluctant to spay or neuter their pets. Most of the chastity devices are a harness that attaches to a diaper. However, this device is extremely difficult to remove.

Anti-Over Eating Mask

This device was made for people who have an issue staying on track with their diet. This patent was filed to prevent obesity problems. The purpose of this mask was to prevent the person from compulsive eating. However, this mask makes the person look like they are out of a scary movie.

Beerbrella

Don’t you hate it when you have a beer in your hand and the rain destroys it? This device attaches to your beer bottle so that it doesn’t have to face any unpredictable weather.

Deceptive Diaper

This device relates to how the diaper is stored before use. The point of this patent is that any kind of encasement where it is unclear that a diaper is stored within is fair game. This also includes a diaper that is denser, that way it would be able to hold more volume.

Human Slingshot

1995, was when the original Human Slingshot machine was patented. But, the rubber strands would deteriorate quickly- which was a huge problem. This device is used to practically sling the rider into the air, and cause them to undergo a vertically oscillatory motion.

Perfected Mouse Trap

The first mouse trap was originally patented in 1976, and since then- there has been a ton of people who have tried to one-up it. There was a patent that fixed a spring problem, in 2003.

Floating Wave Powered Server Farm

To lower its utility bills, in 2008, Google filed a patent application for a “water-based data center”. This device would consist of a cargo ship or a barge equipped to take energy from tides and convert it to electricity. They could turn around and use that energy to power row after row of computer servers for Google’s information network.

Heart-Hand Gesture

Another patent that was filed by Google was a weird one. It’s called “Hand Gestures to Signify What is Important”. It’s hard to believe that they actually want to claim the hand gesture that “forms around an area bounded by two hands in a shape of a symbolic heart”.

The Kissing Shield

Are you afraid of getting diseases from kissing people? Then, this is the device for you. It’s a shield that stops the exchange of saliva and other micro-organisms, which people pass on when they kiss.

The High-five Machine

This device was created for lonely people who had nobody to high-five. This device contains a mechanical hand, which could be attached to a wall and the user can high-five it.

A Shoe Powered Neck Massager

This is a very strange looking device. But, if you can get passed the look of this device- then at least your neck wouldn’t ache. This device uses the motion of the shoes to give the user a neck massage.

Wake up

Before the 1900s there were very few alarm clocks. The inventor of this device claimed that it could wake up any person at any given time. Today, we call this device an alarm clock.

Carry Out Container

There are many carry-out containers that had been patented before. But, in 2008, this product stood out for its lack of originality. The only addition it had to other patents was that it came with wax paper. The wax paper actually proved to be effective in preserving the food.

Leaf Gathering Pants

Raking leaves is tedious and annoying. No one enjoys raking leaves, but it has to be done. With this device you no longer have to strain your back, just strap on a pair of tubes that slip over your pants with a net fastened between the two- so you can gather leaves easily.

Dad Saddle

In 2001, the dad saddle was patented. The dad saddle has a harness that fastens around the user’s waist, and has two stirrups for the child’s feet. This device allows your child to have never-ending piggyback rides.

Greenhouse Helmet

There’s nothing like a nice walk outside to enjoy the breezy fresh air, but if you don’t have time to get out and enjoy some fresh air- then the greenhouse helmet is for you. This device brings nature to you. It’s a dome that sits over the person’s head and it contains several plants inside. The point of this device is that it’s supposed to give you the purest oxygen.

The Pet Petter

Pets are a big responsibility. Pets are like children; you love them, but they are hard work. Anthony Steffen created a device to make life easier for pet owners. The device pets your dog for you, and it also plays soothing music to relax your pup.

Sled Pants

Who doesn’t love zooming down a big mountain on their sled; however, having to pull your sled back up the mountain is not fun at all. Sled pants are the answer to your prayers. These pants allow you to strap sled chaps to your snow pants, which makes the ride down and the walk up easier.

Cool Shoes

In 1994, there was a patent filed that made your shoes very cool. This inventor created air conditioned shoes. As you take a step, a series of chambers in the heel contract. This exerts force, which sets off coolant-filled coils that turn ambient heat into chilled air.

Pedestrian Walking

If you’re not positive what you hit with your car, there’s actually a patent for that. With sensors in the cars’ bumpers and the engine hood, the patent claims to be able to tell whether or not a driver actually hit a pedestrian or something else.

The Jet-Powered Surfboard

Have you ever wondered how cool it would be to have a jet-powered surfboard? Well, now you’re in luck. There is a patent for a jet-powered surfboard. The patent was filed on March 31, 1987. There are several figures for the proposed design online; however, they never actually went into production.

The Templeless Glasses

Nike submitted a patent for what they call a “templeless system of eyewear”, in 1996. The intention was to invent glasses without the arms. The patent came with a long description of how the glasses would work, but honestly, it’s pretty confusing.

Exercise for Cats

There’s actually a device that allows cats to exercise. This patent directs a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser onto the wall or floor by your cat. The laser moves, causing a pattern for your cat to chase. As your cat chases the laser, they will also get some exercise.

A Method of Swinging

Inventor Steven Olson patented swinging, not the actual swings- but the method of swinging. On November 17, 2000, Olsen filed the patent which states: “A method of swing on a swing is disclosed, in which a user positioned on a standard swing suspended by two chains from a substantially horizontal tree branch induces side to side motion by pulling alternately on one chain and then the other.”

Butt-Kicker

On January 4, 2000, W. Armstrong filed a patent for a “User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user’s buttocks.” The device has a controller, which inflicts “repetitive blows to the user’s buttocks by a plurality of elongated arms bearing flexible extensions that rotate under the user’s control.”

“Animal Toy”

It may just be us; however, this “animal toy” made of “wood” looks a lot like a regular stick. On December 2, 1999, Ross Eugene Long III thought it was necessary to file a patent for “Animal toy”. The description for this device is that it is an “apparatus for use as a toy by an animal, for example a dog, to either fetch carry or chew includes a main section with at least one protrusion extending therefrom that resembles a branch in appearance.”

Mousetrap Gun

Yes, this is actually a real patent, believe it or not. In 1882, this device was invented James A. Williams. It involved components of a regular mousetrap with an extra feature — a .50 caliber-loaded revolver. Yikes.

A Treatment for Hiccups

This patent was filed by Philip Ehlinger, the device involves a metallic cup-like vessel that produces and adapts electricity to the lips of the user. After that, your hiccups should be gone. There are about 12 steps that descrine how the device works, but honestly, we would rather wait it out.

The Impulsoria

The Impulsoria wasn’t just a locomotive; it was a “cool” locomotive. It was actually powered by horses on a treadmill. Clemente Masserano created the first successful mobile treadmill. This device was thought to be much cheaper than a steam locomotive, so it actually went into production. This device could reach at just about 20 mph.