Despite being in a real life scary situation with the Coronavirus pandemic, approximately 148 million consumers are still planning to celebrate Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey.
So I ask, what’s Halloween without all the spook, horror, and ghoulish inventions? Because I’m The Patent Professor ®, and someone obsessed with innovative ideas, I dug through the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s records on a search to find some of the best Halloween inventions for your home or front lawn. With hundreds of inventions to choose from, to keep this list short and sweet, I choose The Patent Professor’s Top Five Halloween Inventions guaranteed to spook trick-or-treaters!
Bleeding Costume
Perhaps nothing is more frightful than seeing someone bleed. If you’re someone who squirms at the sight of blood, then the bleeding costume, created by Alan Geller, is not for you. Geller secured a patent for his invention, which includes a “costume element having an inner layer” and a small pump to inject fluids (such as fake blood).
He mentions that people enjoy Halloween because they get a chance to dress up and scare or entertain people. We can’t argue with the scare element provided by the bleeding costume! You can see more about this freaky costume by looking up patent US6093475A.
Spider Web Maker Gun
Create your own horror house with the spider web maker gun. You can weave your own webs by using the hand-held gun to create spider web-like particles. A few different variations of the spider web maker gun exist. Still, this invention received its patent in 2011 and was awarded to Matthew D. Mangelsen.
Fog Machine
For a device that makes it hard to see, one thing is clear — the fog machine is perfect for creating a spooky Halloween experience. Fog machines are commonly used in haunted houses before entering to distort visitors’ visions!
Though the fog machine is being listed in this Halloween invention countdown and is a great addition to a Halloween invention for your lawn, Richard Bruch Glickman created the special effect smoke to be used in theatre, TV, and film. Glickman was an expert in lighting and both a stage designer for the film industry. You can enjoy an eerie production of your own when you make use of a fog machine this Halloween.
Pumpkin Carving Kit
A delicious pie or a frightening jack-o-lantern? With a pumpkin carving kit, you’re able to transform a plain, old pumpkin into a spooky decoration. Paul John Bardeen created the pumpkin carving kit in the 1980s. Even though cookie cutters were already invented, Bardeen could differentiate his product by developing tools specific for making designs on pumpkins.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, “he developed new saws and small knives, but more importantly, pattern sheets, which allowed pumpkin carvers to take a lot of the guesswork out of the process.”
Animatronic (Robotic) Heads
A talking head without a body is sure to send chills up your spine. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, then get a glimpse at these frightening, severed heads. An animatronic robotic makes the perfect Halloween prop for your house or outside on the porch. The motion-activated head adds an added eeriness by moving its head and occasionally making sounds.
If you’re planning to celebrate this ghoulish day, then make sure you have one of these five Halloween inventions guaranteed to spook trick-or-treaters and put you in the Halloween spirit!
And for our inventors who’ve suddenly struck up a chilling idea fit for a Halloween outfit, Halloween invention for the home, or Halloween invention for the lawn, then feel free to contact me to discuss how to make your idea a bullet-proof, protected reality!
