Flowbee: As Seen on TV (in 1989)

In a recent conversation with my husband, I mentioned that I needed to give some of my plants a "haircut", but I wasn't sure how to accomplish it. He facetiously recommended I use a Flowbee, and I responded with something along the lines of "Duh whuh?"

He proceeded to try to explain the concept of some kind of vacuum cleaner hair cutter device to me, without the aid of visuals, in a rare moment we were both without our phones. Very little was clarified except that it was fairly well known in the 1980s, mostly through TV advertisements. 

Later, once we were again fully plugged in and had phones available, he showed me a few YouTube videos--including this one I can't embed--that made sense of things, including some 80s and 90s hairstyles. Equipped with a better understanding of a Flowbee, I finally got the joke. But my mind was, of course, drawn to speculating on its IP.

The vacuum hair hero; image taken from flowbee.com

Despite my husband's immediate assurances, I wondered if it was patented.

Turns out, the guy behind the Flowbee™ has his IP locked down.

I'm telling you, not even Rice is this careful about international coverage. 

Yes, it also has trademarks, and this is the official specimen on record

Rick Hunts, the inventor of the Flowbee™, obtained his initial patent for "Hair Clipper" in 14 different jurisdictions, likely through this WIPO patent application. The patent was granted in at least 7 of those, including Germany (twice, potentially reflecting the geopolitical status in the 1980s), Australia, Canada, and the European Union. The US Patent for the Hair Clipper, US 4,679,322, was granted in July of 1987... shortly before I was born. 

There are a few other Flowbee™-related patents that were filed and granted later. These, I presume, are for improvements or new accoutrements, judging by the names "Grooming Attachment for Vacuum-Drawn Clippers", "Vacuum-Drawn Hair Clipper", and "Vacuum-Powered Hair Cutting Guide". All were filed within a few years after the initial hair clipper, but seemingly only in the US. Who knew a vacuum-enabled hair clipper could have so many improvements?

Hunts also owns a design patent in the US for the "Vacuum Cleaner Hose Attachment", D311,616. 

Apparently a distinct ornamental design

Today, all of the Flowbee™ patents have expired, so it's possible there are many versions available. 

And, as it turns out, I could have used one adapted for plants, because my pruning was a mess.

Eclipsing the Sun and Moon on Earth

I could look up some IP for anything directly related to the solar eclipse, or maybe even a lunar eclipse, but I've already done that for a display (go look at it), so to keep things fresh, let's look at plant patents.

You know, for plants with lunar or solar eclipse, or just eclipse, in the name. 

That's relevant, right?

Whatever, plant patents are cool, and I feel like I don't get enough opportunities to include them. 

Let's start with the most relevant first:

Heucherella plant named 'Solar Eclipse', PP23,647. Presumably it is named because the pattern of variegation is a lighter green outline of the leaf with an inner darker red, like the corona of the sun showing around the edges of the moon.

It would be more accurate if the variegation was a much darker red

Baptista plant called 'Lunar Eclipse', PP25,875. I don't know exactly what part of this plant is meant to evoke a lunar eclipse, but maybe you can look at the picture and tell me. It's certainly a pretty plant.

What nice flowers.

Veronica plant named 'Total Eclipse', PP18,912. I selected this one as more relevant because we're about to have a total solar eclipse. Or at least some of us are, most of us will have to make do with looking at neat shadows.

Are you a Heather? No, I'm a Veronica.

After that, the other plants are mostly just named 'Eclipse' or some kind of color plus eclipse. I liked these the most:

Hosta plant named 'Eclipse', PP24,625. Like the above baptista, it also has pretty flowers, which I clearly seem to favor over simple leafy plants.

Wheeeeee more flowers

Saintpaulia plant named 'Eclipse', PP10,103. This one has fun floral variegation, which may mean the inspiration for its name is similar to the heucherella above.

The digital discoloration of this photo is why we used to receive paper copies

Blackberry plant named 'Eclipse', PP30,448. No idea where they got eclipse for this one, they're blackberries that look normal and so does the plant. Maybe there's a whole line of astronomical berries?

I love berry season, I should get some blackberries tomorrow

And those are the best eclipsing plant patents! If you're in the area on Monday, April 8th, visit Fondren's eclipse viewing event. I won't be able to make it--it's time for the annual PTRCP Training Seminar.