McDonalds Files To Patent Making a Sandwich 346
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "McDonalds has applied for patent WO2006068865, which carries the title 'METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A SANDWICH.' John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, can eat his heart out (unless that's been patented, too). Undoubtedly, some people are contemplating whether there's anything novel in this patent that is somehow obscured by its generic title. Feel free to examine their flowchart for yourself and see exactly how novel their sandwich 'subroutines' are. The good news is that, given that it only mentions generic sandwich making 'tool(s),' rather than any specific machine, it might not survive after the In Re Bilski decision, which was meant to put a stop to absurdities such as this. But until McDonalds's application is rejected or invalidated, make sure you don't use their flowchart when making sandwiches. After all, if you 'apply appropriate condiments to appropriate compartment,' you might infringe upon their IP."
Safe! (Score:5, Funny)
if you 'apply appropriate condiments to appropriate compartment
Thank god all of my condiments are inappropriate.
A lot of my compartments as well for that matter
cheezburgers? (Score:5, Funny)
I can has cheezburger patent?
and here I was wondering how to make a sandwich (Score:5, Funny)
Prior Art (Score:5, Funny)
My way (Score:2, Funny)
If it includes holding the pickle and holding the lettuce, there's prior art.
Did they patent the xkcd method? (Score:1, Funny)
xkcd explains how to get a sandwich [xkcd.com].
Additional Steps... (Score:3, Funny)
If yes, have fewer than 5 seconds elapsed?
If yes, pick up and continue with procedure...
hai! (Score:5, Funny)
im in ur patent office
approvin teh obveeyus
Re:So What? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:cheezburgers? (Score:5, Funny)
I haz a prior art. What I do wif it?
Re:cheezburgers? (Score:5, Funny)
eat it
Re:and here I was wondering how to make a sandwich (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Safe! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Just what we need, a robotic McDonald's. (Score:3, Funny)
Well, there's standard, and there's extra-crispy.
Re:Method (Score:3, Funny)
Humour, along with honesty is removed as part of a law degree isnt it?
Re:Method (Score:4, Funny)
A. By death.
Q. And by whose death was it terminated?
Source. [freemaninstitute.com]
Re:Drive Through user patents coffee burning metho (Score:4, Funny)
McDonalds is now serving their food in a trough?
I see they have finally acknowledged their food is swill.
Re:Key difference: (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Safe! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Safe! (Score:2, Funny)
Breakdown..... (Score:3, Funny)
"It covers the "simultaneous toasting of a bread component" "
-a.k.a. placing the bread in a toaster.
"The assembly tool contains a "cavity" into which the sandwich-maker places the garnish ("including, but not limited to, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, chilli, coleslaw, giardinera, peppers, spinach, radishes, olives, egg, cooked bacon and cheese") and the condiments ("ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, sauces, relish, oils, salt, pepper, barbecue sauce, steak sauce, hot sauce, dressings including salad dressings, yogurt, butter, margarine and liquid or semi-liquid cheese")"
-a.k.a. a Spoon or Ladle.
""Typically, a sandwich filling will thereafter be placed in the bread component,""
-a.k.a. Putting the ingredients onto bread.
"A "bread component" is then placed over the cavity and the assembly tool "inverted" to tip out the contents."
-Turning over the spoon or ladle and letting the ingredients fall onto the bread.
"It also describes how to make cocktail sandwiches, by taking a full-sized version that is "cut up into smaller pieces"."
-a.k.a. Cutting up a larger sandwich into smaller pieces.
""Often the sandwich filling is the source of the name of the sandwich, for example - ham sandwich.""
-a.k.a. Naming the sandwich after it's contents.
Wow..... McDonalds *IS* getting desperate.....
Re:cheezburgers? (Score:1, Funny)
Fail!!
I have filed a patent that will give me power over every McDonalds patent. My patent is on METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EATING A SANDWICH. Take that, world hunger!
Re:cheezburgers? (Score:2, Funny)
DO NOT EAT IT!
For it to be prior art, that sammich has to be pretty old. Chances are, it will kill you. Or give you super powers.
EAT THE SAMMICH!
Historic Tragedies (Score:5, Funny)
The theory of relativity gave us atomic weapons, whereas incompetent patent offices give us patents on making a sandwich. It's obvious that Albert Einstein's change of profession was a mistake humanity has suffered from ever since.
What qualifies as prior art? (Score:2, Funny)
I was thinking about what part of this could be considered unique. The three decisions in the flow chart have certainly been made before.
So I thought that maybe the tool was a custom application:
"Place heated bread product over tool(s) with the crown over the crown cavity and the heel over the heel cavity"
But prior art for this tool = my hands.
Re:cheezburgers? (Score:1, Funny)
Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom
Re:cheezburgers? (Score:2, Funny)
You can't have your prior art and eat it too!
Re:cheezburgers? (Score:3, Funny)
No,
They have a *priapic art
Re:Drive Through user patents coffee burning metho (Score:3, Funny)
The real flow chart: (Score:3, Funny)
We get order
(What?)
Main machine turn on
(It's you!)
How are you, may I take order?
All your burgers are belong to us
You are on the way to construction
(What you say?)
You have no chance to fry, make your time
Ha ha ha
Manager !!
Take off every 'ZIG'
You know what you doing
Move 'ZIG'
For great cheesburgers