Have a Break

- Written by Patent Attorneys, Patent Engineers, Trademark Engineers, Translators, and Administrative staff -

Keeping images forever

  • May 7, 2021

On the page of the electronic exhibitions, available on the National Diet Library (Japan) homepage, there is the exhibition “The Meiji and Taisho Eras in Photographs”.

You can see the old look of the city you know well and many people walking on the road. From looking at these photos, you can feel the passion of wanting to keep the images of what you see forever with a camera that was still rare in those eras.

According to Wikipedia, photography was invented in 1827 by the Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. Until then, there was a projector that showed photograph-like images, but capturing moving images was not possible. (Swimmer)

History of photography – Wikipedia
Electric Exhibition Website: The Meiji and Taisho Eras in Photographs: From photographs in publications held by the National Diet Library – Tokyo, Kansai, Tohoku in Photographs (ndl.go.jp)

COLOCOLO

  • May 6, 2021
#trademark

May 6th is registered as “Colocolo Day” by the Japan Anniversary Association from the puns of “co (5) lo (6) co (5) lo (6)”.
This was established in 2010 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the trademark application for the adhesive carpet cleaner “Colocolo” developed by Nitoms, Inc.

It is a very simple name, but it seems that it was a different product name when it was first released. However, as a handy cleaning tool, it is interesting that everyone in Japan probably recognizes “Colocolo” is an adhesive carpet cleaner. (Syszo)

For the trademark “Colocolo”, its application was filed on February 20, 1985 and registered on May 29, 1987.
J-Plat Pat Trademark Search “Colocolo” (Click “English” on the top right of the page)

* “Colocolo” is a registered trademark of Nitoms, Inc.

Houjicha Latte

  • April 30, 2021
#trademark

I found a familiar trademark. If you look at the Nestlé coffee and latte products that I usually drink, you will notice the registered trademarks on the packages.
This time, I bought a Hojicha latte.

I felt I was able to find the Nestlé’s intellectual property strategy from looking at the numerous registered trademarks on Nestlé’s coffee and latte packaging.

Just looking at the packaging of Hojicha latte, it seems that three or more registered trademarks are used. For the registered trademark of Hojicha Latte, “NUTRITIONAL COMPASS” was registered as International Registration No. 865020, Basic Registration was No. 536777, and was registered in the Swiss Federation on June 23, 2005, and “Nestlé” was registered as Japanese Trademark Registration No. 2001464. Registered on November 20, 1987, “Nestle Good Food, Good Life” was registered as Japanese Trademark Registration No. 4696929 on August 1, 2003. (Raspberry)

Support your new life

  • April 14, 2021
#patent #trademark

From March to April, the phrase “new life support” are often seen in electric appliance shops and home centers. Not only when you move to a new land, but also when you commute from the same home as before, if your school or workplace changes, you will start a new life. You need products and services to support your new life.

Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd., a furniture and interior company, applied for the picture trademark below in October last year (2020) (Japanese Trademark Application No.2020-32144), and is awaiting examination as of the end of March 2021. I saw it used for store shelves and leaflets.

In addition, when I searched for “new life” in the patent as a keyword, I found the invention of “real estate information providing device” (Japanese Patent No. 6626166). It is to appropriately provide property information that meets the needs of users. In paragraph [0047], it is written “In addition, the user selects the requirements that he / she wants to emphasize, the requirements that he / she wants to have, the requirements that he / she thinks are indispensable for his / her new life, and the requirements where he / she seeks comfort in a new way of living.”

I think starting a new life in the corona crisis is more anxious than usual, but there are various new life support products and services around. Why don’t you use them effectively? (Conan)

Volleyball

  • April 7, 2021
#design #patent

My child has become crazy about volleyball lately, partly due to the influence of the anime “Haikyu !!”. The ball we have at home is from Mikasa Corporation, and it seems to correspond to the Design Registration No. 1318937.

However, looking at Mikasa’s homepage, it seems that the one with design registration No. 1574960 is currently the mainstream. The one with this design also had a “patent registration” label. When I searched with J-PlatPat, I found some patents of Mikasa Corporation. I was not sure which patent corresponded to this volleyball, but I realized once again that the things that children use on a daily basis are also supported by intellectual property. (Marron)

Mikasa Corporation: https://mikasasports.co.jp/e/

Note: “Haikyu !!” is a registered Japanese trademark of Shueisha.

para gel

  • March 31, 2021
#trademark

I like decorating my nails as part of fashion. I used to apply manicure myself, but now it is my monthly pleasure to get my gel nails done at a nail salon.

Gel nails are nails that are formed by scraping the nails and curing the gel-like resin. There are various types of gel nails, but the “para gel” I use can be used without scraping the nails, so you can keep your nails clean.

“Para gel PROFESSIONAL NAIL” was registered as Japanese Trademark Registration No. 5359996 on October 8, 2010.
I am happy to find a trademark that is familiar to me as one of my pleasures. (Rabbit)

The official website is below.
https://paragel.jp/ (Japanese Only)

Anniversary associated with Intellectual Property

  • March 24, 2021
#intellectual property #patent #patent attorney

The theme is “Introduction to Intellectual Property”, but today I would like to introduce anniversaries related to intellectual property.
First, I would like to ask you a question. How many do you know?

April 18, Invention Day (Japan)
April 23, World Book Day / Copyright Day (UNESCO)
April 26, World Intellectual Property Day (World Intellectual Property Organization)
July 1, Patent Attorney’s Day (Japan)
July 22, Copyright System Day (Japan)
August 1, Aichi Invention Day (Aichi Prefecture)
August 14, Exclusive Patent Day (Japan)
November 18, Music Copyright Day (Japan)

It seems that there are many anniversaries in April and the hot season for some reason. Looking overseas, there is Inventor’s Day. In the United States, for example, Thomas Edison’s birthday is Inventor’s Day.

April is coming soon. This year too, the day of invention, the day of world intellectual property rights, will come. In Japan, every year, one week including Invention Day is designated as Science and Technology Week. It may be a good idea to think about inventions and science in this season when the weather is getting better. (blink)

Related URL
Invention Day (April 18) (Japanese)
World Book and Copyright Day (April 23)
Saint George’s Day (April 23, reference)
Children’s Reading Day (April 23, reference) (Japanese)
World Intellectual Property Day (April 26)
Patent Attorney’s Day (July 1) (Japanese)
Copyright System Day (July 22) (Japanese)
Aichi Invention Day (August 1) (Japanese)
Exclusive Patent Day (August 14) (Japanese)
Music Copyright Day (November 18)
Inventor’s Day
Science and Technology Week (Japanese)

Work experience at a patent office

  • March 19, 2021
#intellectual property #patent #patent attorney

At KidZania Tokyo, where children can experience work, “patent office” will open for a limited time!
This is a limited event from March 19th to 25th during “Patent Attorneys Week” held by the Japan Patent Attorneys Association and the planning and management company of KidZania.
It will be the first time that a work experience of a “patent attorney” has appeared in KidZania.
Participant will become a “patent attorney”, receive a request from the “invention workshop”, create patent application documents as an agent, and confirm the examination result at the “patent office satellite office”. A registration certificate will be issued, and the participant can take it home as a deliverable.
As a person working at a patent firm, I hope that children will have fun learning about intellectual property and the role of patent attorneys. (Cacao)

＜Reference Website＞
KidZania Tokyo news page (translated into English)
KidZania Tokyo Official Site｜A Real City for Kids! (English)

Fun for snacks

  • March 10, 2021
#trademark

The other day, I watched a documentary on TV about a woman involved in product development at Koike-ya Co., Ltd. The next day, I stopped by a convenience store in front of the station on my way home from work to buy the snack which was introduced since I felt the enthusiasm in the development, but it was sold out.

The influence of television is amazing. After that, it was available several days later. I felt the commitment and it was delicious.
Looking around the convenience store, you will find snacks with various tastes on sale, which makes you feel happy.
Catchphrases such as “limited”, “takumi” (craftsmanship) and “adult” (used for products which has an acquired taste) makes me lose my temptation and I can’t resist to buy it.
When I searched for Koike-ya on J-PlatPat, I found that 13 to 25 applications were filed annually for trademarks alone. Some names such as “New Normal Snack” and “LONG LIFE ∞ SNACK ∞ 湖” (湖 is “Ko” for “Koike-ya”) seem to reflect the era just by hearing them.
You can see the effort they are putting into their method of selling. I hope that they will continue to make products that will entertain us consumers. (Marigold)

Nekojasuri

  • March 3, 2021
#patent

The other day, when I was looking at the JPO public relations magazine “Tokkyo”, published on February 5, 2021, I found a product that caught my eye.
Its name is “Nekojasuri”.

This product is a file for cats to groom that was made to resemble the texture of cats’ tongue. It was made based on the tool manufacturing technology, developed by Wataoka Co., Ltd., a long-established file maker in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, which has been in business for over 120 years.
How flexible the idea of the person who developed it is to associate the tongue of a cat with a file. I envy the person with such an inspiration.

Soon I bought it and gave it to my cat. Meow ❣

My cat is not usually a sweet type, but it is rubbing its head on the file.
It might be of a feeling that cannot be obtained from human hands. (Time)

Patent
[Japanese Patent number] No. 6698985
[Registration date] May 7, 2019
[Title of Invention] Massage device for pets

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