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8-Year-Old Receives Patent

Posted by samzenpus on from the young-inventor-society dept.

Knile writes "While not the youngest patent recipient ever (that would be a four year old in Texas), Bryce Gunderman has received a patent at age 8 for a space-saver that combines an outlet cover plate with a shelf. From the article: '"I thought how I was going to make a lot of money," Bryce said about what raced through his brain when he received the patent.'"

7 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Considering how long it takes to get a patent... by Lord+Byron+II · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Considering how long it takes to get a patent, he must have been in diapers when he submitted it. Kudos to him.

    And the invention is a good idea too. My cell usually rests on the kitchen floor while it charges.

  2. wtf by richy+freeway · · Score: 2, Interesting

    These things have been available for years. Also the link to the patent is wrong.

    1. Re:wtf by tlhIngan · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Only the first link is similar to the kid's "invention" because it is the only one that is a replacement wall plate. The kid did improve on the invention by placing the shelf "above" the outlets instead of below so you can actually stack things on the shelf without blocking the outlets. Of course IANAPL but the kid's idea is probably sufficiently different from the first link that neither infringe on each other's "IP". I mean he didn't patent "wall plate shelves" (overly broad) but only his "design" of the wall plate shelf (specific)...

      Last I checked, most outlets were pretty symmetrical, so that "below the plug" shelf can be turned 180 degrees around and made into an "above the plug" shelf. It may not look nice (if it was designed to below the plug), but anyone with a screwdriver could trivially turn it around if twas that useful.

      Hell, there's enough bad handymen out there that at least several people would've installed it upside down. Other than looking funny, they probably don't know better.

      No, there's got to be more to this patent than simply turning it around...

  3. Pass Code by MyLongNickName · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Would this pass U.S. electrical codes? I am not an electrician, but wonder if the hazard of weight busting the cover would present a problem.

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    1. Re:Pass Code by MyLongNickName · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Or imagine that because there is a shelf protruding that it is much more likely that someone kicks it, something falls on it, or something else unexpected suddenly puts tremendous torque on the plate.

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  4. Re:so sad by windcask · · Score: 1, Interesting

    "Advancement of society" is completely subjective. Maybe somebody someday will spend the time he normally used picking up his charging cell phone off the floor coming up with an idea for curing cancer. I'm just happy the kid has a bright future ahead of him.

    There was a time where insulting a child was off limits (particularly one you know nothing about), but I know that's long in the past...

  5. Re:Considering how long it takes to get a patent.. by SimonTheSoundMan · · Score: 2, Interesting

    *double facepalm*

    Either his father encouraged his son to make the patent as a sign of goodwill to educate his child on how to become an entrepreneurial inventor, or he owns a patent troll company and needed to file a patent and used his son.

    I'll let ./ readers make up their mind.

    I'm hoping it was not the latter. Patent doesn't seem broad enough for a troll.