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Inventor Sues Because His Invention Is Being Used As a Sex Toy

Inventor Jiro Takashima had a simple dream. He wanted to create the world's most perfect hemorrhoid massager. He realized his dream with the invention of the Pro-State massager. It wasn't long however until it became obvious that people were using his design for pleasure instead of legitimate medical purposes. He and his company, High Island Health, are now suing a British company known as Pleasure2Me and others claiming infringement of his patent of a plastic massager designed to massage a man's prostate without the use of electrical power. From the article: "'Our business took a major detour when men started using our prostate massager for recreational purposes,' said Amy Sung, executive director of High Island Health, a Houston company named for a translation of her inventor father Jiro Takashima's Japanese name."

15 comments

  1. Summary wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Inventor Sues Because His Invention Is Being Used as a Sex Toy

    Reading TFA, sounds more like "Inventor Sues Because His Patent Is Being Infringed." The fact that the alleged infringers are marketing it with a different spin is not relevant.

    1. Re:Summary wrong? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Inventor Sues Because His Invention Is Being Used as a Sex Toy

      Reading TFA, sounds more like "Inventor Sues Because His Patent Is Being Infringed." The fact that the alleged infringers are marketing it with a different spin is not relevant.

      Welcome to Idle.

      Better yet, welcome to Slashdot.

      On an unrelated note, the QOTD right now says "Get your neck massaged".

  2. I know this is idle, but... by Protoslo · · Score: 1
    If you read TFA, you will see that

    Sung said once they realized in around 2003 that the product was selling more as a toy than for medicinal purposes she started advertising it to both markets, despite her father's initial reluctance. One of their slogans is, “The sex toy that's good for you.”

    They just have a problem with other companies selling similar products that compete with their own line of sex toys, allegedly infringing their patent.

    The real news here is that the daughter (in the picture) is actually 35. Who would have guessed?

    1. Re:I know this is idle, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The real news here is that the daughter (in the picture) is actually 35. Who would have guessed?

      Maybe she's been drinking this?

    2. Re:I know this is idle, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Best off to just get a friend to massage your prostate with his "real" prostate massager. I can't imagine plastic replacing the spongy yet firm feel of and actual " massage tool" not to mention the benefit of that warm balm at the end. But....

              Coming Soon! The Goatse 5000! 18 inches of massaging menace driven by a 6 liter supercharged V8. If you pre order now we will throw in a 5 gal. bucket of lube and a handy anal drawstring to close things back up once you have turned your prostate to a crispy piece of bacon in a bear cave.

  3. Sour Puss by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Judging from the look on his face he needs to use his invention more himself.

    Looking at the big smile on his daughter she appears to be using it already.

    1. Re:Sour Puss by freddled · · Score: 2, Funny

      You remind me of my ancient great aunt who had to have every disease worse than anyone else. Someone in the family developed prostate issues and she said 'for sure, I've had that and what's more, I've had to have them both out and I couldn't swallow for a month'.

    2. Re:Sour Puss by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      She claimed to be the original Deep Throat too, by the sound of it.

  4. How does it work and other must-ask questions... by freddled · · Score: 1

    How does it work if it has no electricity? Does it have a solar panel? A wind-up handle? Perhaps a compressed air line powered by foot or other pedal devices? Can I obtain similar results by removing my bicycle seat and cycling over rough ground? Is it designed for solo use or by a qualified practitioner? What is the training and certification regime? How was it tested and by whom. On whom. Was it under laboratory conditions or ... no never mind. If it has theraputic claims was it tested by the FDA or other qualified body. If so how, etc. For what purpose does one massage one's prostate if not for the alleged pleasure? This is a serious question. Lastly, but perhaps most apposite of all, how and why did anyone think of it? Having thought of it why the long face? Thinking about it, if that was the best idea I ever had, well....

  5. Re: Sex toy by confuto · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think the inventor is just being anal about this.

  6. Re: Sex toy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It needed to be said, but I still cringed when I read it.

  7. Re: Sex toy by hedwards · · Score: 1

    Goatse man is not amused.

  8. Re:How does it work and other must-ask questions.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How does it work if it has no electricity?

    It is powered by your... gait.

    For what purpose does one massage one's prostate if not for the alleged pleasure?

    Prostatitis.

  9. Gere's First Law by PatPending · · Score: 1

    Apparently Takashima-san never heard of (Richard) Gere's First Law:

    "If it can be inserted into an orifice, it will."

    --
    What one fool can do, another can. (Ancient Simian Proverb)