Someone explain what this is actually saying?

[cmmcnamara]

Hey guys, I was just reading an article on a patent Michael Jackson had under his name for one of his "anti-gravity" moves on stage, one which allowed him to lean out over his center of mass without falling over. However in the article I'm a bit confused exactly what is going on with the design...anyone care to take a look?

http://blogs.archives.gov/aotus/?p=2574

It seems to me that it some how allows the wearer to slide a pre-placed stage attachment into the heel of the shoe allowing him to have something to balance him out?

 

[jedishrfu]

his shoes hook into a peg embedded in the stage allowing him to lean over further than is normal.

imagine your feet are superglued to the floor then you'd be able to lean forward quite a bit that's basically what Michael Jackson's invention allows with the further feature that you can dance around and then slide your heel into it to make it look more magical.

 

[cmmcnamara]

Yea that's exactly what I was thinking it was saying but the wording was confusing me a bit

 

[jedishrfu]

when lawyers write patent applications they must ensure that there are no loose ends in the description and that the patent covers as much area as possible. This prevents others from boxing the patent in or writing a new patent that supercedes the original.

But when a patent is litigated in court, the claims section is what is really used. Each claim identifies an important component of the patent.

Basically a patent teaches you something new and unique. If its new and unique enough then the Patent Office will award you a patent with a 20 year or so exclusive right to your invention.

 

[pmacias]

I would say that the patent mentioned in the article is likely describing a device or mechanism designed to assist Michael Jackson in performing his famous "anti-gravity" move on stage. This move involved leaning out over his center of mass without falling over, and the patent may have been for a specialized shoe or attachment that helped him achieve this feat. The link provided in the post appears to be from the National Archives, so it may be worth looking into the patent itself for a more detailed understanding of the design.