Intellectual Property Law

'Youngest inventor' makes a clean sweep

Just spotted this from the BBC:

'Youngest inventor' patents broom

A five-year-old boy is thought to be the UK's youngest person to patent an idea after inventing a labour-saving broom to help his father sweep leaves.

Sam Houghton, of Buxton, Derbyshire, was just three when he came up with a double-headed broom to collect large debris and fine dust simultaneously.

After passing the rigorous patenting process, his idea is now protected from anyone who might copy it.

Bakewell is a place that, until now, was more known for its tarts (of the food variety) than for innovation.

Sam's dad is Mark Houghton, a patent agent at Derbyshire-based Patent Outsourcing Limited. The BBC reports that, thanks to this, the only cost of the patent application was a £200 official fee. Presumably Mark's other clients will be hoping he can prosecute their patents for a similar cost!

IMPACT educational aside: If you want to read more about patents and the 'rigourous patenting process' mentioned by the BBC, check out our overview of patents.

(Pictured: A non-patented single-headed broom yesterday)

Full post as published by IMPACT on April 17, 2008 (boomark / email).