design

The thing that was a big hit in 2022.

  • 2023年01月18日
#design

Have you ever tried Yakult 1000?
It has become such a hot topic that it is difficult to obtain, and I have visited convenience stores, supermarkets, and pharmacies, but it was still sold out.
I was wondering if it was really effective in “relieving stress” and “improving the quality of sleep” as shown in the commercials, and when I really wanted to try it, I noticed that a Yakult lady came to the entrance of our office every morning and was able to purchase it♪

Yakult 1000

It looks like it comes in a larger container than regular Yakult and tastes a little stronger.
I don’t know if it really ” relieving stress ” and ” improving the quality of sleep ” or if it is a placebo effect, but I personally felt that it somehow improved my sleep quality.

Yakult 1000 is a product of Yakult Honsha Co.,Ltd. (Japanese Design Registration No. 1648553)
I try to drink it only on weekdays, because if I continue to drink it every day, I will develop a tolerance to it and will not feel its effects. (Rabbit)

Yakult 1000 / Y1000 (Japanese only)
Japanese Design Registration No.1648553｜J-PlatPat [JPP] (inpit.go.jp)

Electronic Thermometer

  • 2022年10月20日
#design #patent #trademark #utility model

My long-time electronic thermometer broke, so I bought a new one.
The built-in battery seems to have worn out, not only because of infection prevention measures, but also because my elderly family members have more opportunities to take their temperatures regularly.
Without time to do any preliminary research, I went to the sales floor of a local drugstore and was surprised to find several electronic thermometers available and surprisingly inexpensive despite their high functionality.

I remember that in the past, most thermometers did not have replaceable batteries to prevent infants from accidentally ingesting button batteries, but now they sell thermometers with replaceable batteries. I guess they have devised a way to prevent easy removal of the battery.
Some were waterproof and washable, which seems to be in high demand in this day and age, and some had an attached case that could be easily cleaned with alcohol.

After much deliberation, I chose the Terumo thermometer we had been using previously and purchased a thermometer with a sound pressure about twice as loud and easy to hear at the end of a temperature test. It can predict temperature in about 20 seconds and measure temperature as speedily as a temperature check at a hospital.

Terumo's electronic thermometers Terumo's registered trademark

The Terumo logo in the image is naturally a registered trademark (Japanese Registration No. 6191923 Protective No. 01), but a further search on J-PlatPat revealed more than 250 patents, utility models, and designs for Terumo’s electronic thermometers.

By the way, Terumo thermometers have had a 100-year history. What is the 100th anniversary commemorative thermometer sold last year! If you are interested, check the following site♪ (Cacao)
100th anniversary commemorative thermometer website (Japanese only)

The Age of AI Painting?

  • 2022年09月14日
#copyright #design

This is Swimmer.
These days, the social networking sites are talking about an app that lets AI learn and draw pictures.

AI

To make it learn, you have to change the approach many times and make adjustments, and you need to have a good artistic sense to make a proper work. It seems to be very easy to complete a picture if you are not concerned about the final result. It is very interesting.
If the original material to be studied is something to which you own the rights, there is no problem. However, if you use someone else’s work, what happens to the design rights and copyrights of the material? What are the terms and conditions of the app?

We will continue to keep a close eye on the evolution of AI, which has both pros and cons, including the rights to the resulting pictures.

Pon Pon Flowering Dahlia

  • 2022年06月22日
#design #patent #trademark

It is June and I am looking forward to the blooming of the dahlias that I planted the bulbs in April.
The blooming period of dahlias is generally June to November. It appears that a design and two or more trademarks are used for this dahlia package.

Pon Pon Flowering Dahlia

The backing paper in the photo attached to the mesh bag that contained the bulbs was registered as “backing paper for an article” Japanese Design Registration No. 1068135.
Hana-no-Yamato Corporation, a general gardening manufacturer, seems to own not only the registered design and the registered trademark but also the patent. (Raspberry)

Massage Gun “SIXPAD Power Gun”

  • 2022年04月22日
#design #patent #trademark #utility model

Recently, I have come across a device called a massage gun (or power gun). As the name suggests, a massage gun is a type of massage device that is shaped like a gun and whose tip vibrates at high speed.
I was a little curious about it because I heard that it can help relieve stiff shoulders and back pain as well as take care of muscles. I had a chance to try it out and was very pleased with how it felt, so I bought it.

SIXPAD Power Gun

To use it, simply press the tip of the power gun lightly against the area of the body you want to relieve. The SIXPAD Power Gun from MTG Corporation, which I purchased, allows you to adjust the vibration speed of the tip in five stages, from about 1,800 rpm (revolutions per minute) to about 3,000 rpm. When I first used it, I was surprised at the speed and power of the vibration. The tip attachments, such as U-shaped and ball-shaped ones, can be changed to suit the part of the body being used, and I feel that the vibrations reach deep into the muscles very well. I use it when I have stiff shoulders or when I feel muscle fatigue after exercise. I recommend it to anyone who is similarly concerned.

MTG Co., Ltd is a company located in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. If you search for “MTG Co., Ltd” on J-PlatPat, a great number of patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks will hit. Also, 21 trademark were hit for “SIXPAD”. (Syszo)

SIXPAD Power Gun Website (Japanese)
https://www.mtgec.jp/wellness/sixpad/products/powergun/

Dried Gourd (Kanpyo)

  • 2022年04月06日
#design

Kanpyo is delicious when eaten with sushi or simmered dishes.
When I bought Kanpyo, there was a writing indicating the Japanese design registration No. 476243 on the package. The design of the Kanpyo packaging bag was registered. Japanese design registrations have a period of duration, and this Japanese design registration was made by Komine Cellophane store on January 23, 1978.

Dried Gourd Kanpyo

In the Japanese design registration of this packaging bag, the transparent part was explained, the color printing was used as a reference for the original, and the drawing was shown in black and white.
At present, there are about 4519 design registrations in Japan for packaging bags as articles related to designs. Regarding packaging bags, not only patents and utility models but also design registrations protect the rights and I thought there were many design registrations for packaging bags. (Raspberry)

Fuku-Can and Good Luck Charms

  • 2022年03月02日
#design #intellectual property #patent #trademark #utility model

One of the stores I like to stop by regularly is MUJI. While I have a variety of favorite products, I was able to buy the pre-ordered “Fuku-Can (Fortune Can)” for the first time last year, which I had been curious about for a long time. This year, I won the lottery and was able to buy one.

The “Fuku-Can” has a gift card with an amount equal to the purchase price (2,022 yen this year) and Japanese lucky charms in it. There are cute and interesting lucky charms in the can, and it’s fun just to look at the enclosed flyer that introduces them on both sides. It is also an opportunity to become familiar with Japanese culture rooted in the region.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Fuku-Can, which was launched on New Year’s Day 2012 with 14 kinds of lucky charms from four prefectures in Tohoku, with the intention of supporting Tohoku’s recovery from the earthquake.
“CREATIVE IMAGINATION” exhibition was held at ATELIER MUJI GINZA in Ginza to celebrate the 10th anniversary the other day. I would have loved to drop by if it was close by.

Now, a search on J-PlatPat shows that there are 94 trademarks that hit the keyword “mujirushi ryouhin”. All of them are already registered. A search for the company name “Ryohin Keikaku” shows 224 trademarks, 368 designs, and 40 patents and utility models, indicating that the company is making extensive use of intellectual property.

Fuku-Can and Good Luck Charms

The photo shows the lucky charms that were included in last year’s and this year’s Fuku-Can. (I bought two of each).
From left to right, Kyoto City’s “Kyoto Ceramic Doll Koban (Ox),” Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture’s “Fukutaro,” Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture’s “Oku Hariko (Tiger),” and Tamana County, Kumamoto Prefecture’s “Mud Mask (4 pieces).
The cans can also be used as pen holders, and I’m sure I’ll be collecting them every year♪ (Cacao)

CREATIVE IMAGINATION| ATELIER MUJI | 無印良品

Looking for earphones

  • 2022年02月16日
#design #patent #trademark

The other day, my old earphones broke, so I decided to buy new ones. When I went to the electronics store, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of products and the range of prices. After much deliberation, I bought one that was similar in design to the previous one, but the Bluetooth function did not work properly, perhaps due to an early defect, and I had an embarrassing experience of sound leaking on the train. I was so traumatized by this that I ended up buying a new one with a cord, but it didn’t fit my ear size and kept coming off, so I took the plunge and bought another new cordless one. Here it is.

earphones

This time, I chose a less expensive one, but I am very satisfied with it. It doesn’t leak sound, fits well in my ears, and is very comfortable. The more expensive ones may have a better sound, but once you get used to them, you won’t mind so much. I am amazed at the convenience of wireless.

I searched for “wireless earphones” on J-plat pat and found 194 patents, 200 designs, and one trademark. There was no result of the one I bought, but I would like to thank the people who invented such useful thing and use them carefully. (Marigold)

Throat care

  • 2022年01月27日
#design

The other day, I bought Ryukakusan (powder type medicine for throat). I used to lick throat lozenges when my throat became dry and irritated, but I heard that this medicine was good for throat problems, I promptly tried it. Certainly, the throat feels more refreshing and comfortable than a throat lozenge. I would like to keep my throat healthy with this medicine, in addition to gargling this winter.

Ryukakusan

Since this throat medicine is a powder type, the product comes with a spoon to scoop the powder. The spoon has three holes so that the scooped powder can quickly fall into the mouth, and this design is registered as a design (Japanese Design Registration No. 1573114, Japanese Design Registration No. 1574669). (Sakuramochi)

Ryukakusan Spoon

Local Sake Handago

  • 2021年08月18日
#design #patent #trademark #utility model

The other day, I found an advertisement that caught my attention. The words “Thanks to you, we’ve won first place in the U.S.” drew my attention, and upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a sake that had won the Grand Prix at the American Sake Competition.

中埜酒造國盛半田郷

I checked my local supermarket to see if they had it, and luckily I was able to purchase it.

中埜酒造國盛半田郷

Drinking well-chilled sake on a hot day is the best. Eating it with refreshing somen noodles made it feel like summer. It was a well-balanced sake, not too heavy and not too light. A search of the J-Plat Pat database for Nakano Sake Brewery Co., Ltd,, the maker of Handa-Go, revealed a total of six patent and utility model applications, one design application, and 207 trademark applications, including Handa-Go. The number of trademarks is overwhelmingly large, and I wondered if the company was developing its business with a strategy to increase its brand power.

Nakano Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.’s website, Handa-Go page (Japanese only) https://www.nakanoshuzou.jp/handago/pc/

I was a little excited to find out that there are many delicious local delicacies that have yet to be discovered. (Marigold)

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