TGIF for the Top Ten Living Inventors

Here, for the first time, is a complete list of the 10 most-prolific living inventors from Kevin Maney at USA Today on December 13, 2005. "For decades, the popular assumption has been that Thomas Edison is the all-time patent king with 1,093 patents," writes Maney. But Shunpei Yamazaki of Japan, "blows away Edison" with 1,432 patents. Interestingly, number 5, 6, and 7 "all work for Micron Technology in that great mecca of American invention, Idaho" (even if you don't count utility patents).

James Delong's favorite is 2d placer, Donald Weder of Illinois, who has 1,322 patents on "making flower pots, bundling flowers, and other floristic esoterica."

Esther Takeuchi, who works on battery research for Greatbatch, is certainly one of the most-prolific but not yet top ten female inventors with 126 patents.

Want more?

Click here for the top ten African-American inventors from Scholastic. Click here for the ten most-poular inventions from Mary Bellis. Click here for the top ten most-wanted patents from EFF. Click here for the top 10 things you should know about patents from BIOS. Click here for the top ten patent practice tips from the HIPLA. Click here for the top ten patent drafting tips from Judge Michel. Click here for the top ten patent assignees. Click here for the top ten patent-receiving universities. Click here for the the top ten things to do about your competitors' intellectual property.

Thank Goodness It's Friday (and you're reading a top ten blawg),

--Bill Heinze