Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rictor on November 26, 2006, 01:21:43 pm
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Look out Sandwich, they're coming for you!
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=26183&in_page_id=34
McDonald's wants to own the rights to how a sandwich is made.
The fast-food chain has applied for a patent relating to the 'method and apparatus' used to prepare the snack.
The burger company says owning the 'intellectual property rights' would help its hot deli sandwiches look and taste the same at all of its restaurants.
It also wants to cut down on the time needed to put together a sandwich, thought to have been dreamt up by the Earl of Sandwich in 1762.
The 55-page patent, which has been filed in the US and Europe, covers the 'simultaneous toasting of a bread component'.
Garnishes of lettuce, onions and tomatoes, as well as salt, pepper and ketchup, are inserted into a cavity in a 'sandwich delivery tool'.
The 'bread component' is placed over the cavity and the assembly tool is inverted to tip out the contents. Finally, the filling is placed in the 'bread component'.
It explains: 'Often the sandwich filling is the source of the name of the sandwich; for example, ham sandwich.'
Lawrence Smith-Higgins, of the UK Patent Office, said: 'McDonald's or anyone else cannot get retrospective exclusive rights to making a sandwich.
'They might have a novel device, but it could be quite easy for someone to make a sandwich in a similar way without infringing their claims.'
McDonald's said: 'These applications are not intended to prevent anyone from using previous methods for making sandwiches.
"sandwich delivery tool" just has a great ring to it.
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looooooooool
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*kills McDonald's*
This is just as ridiculous as the copyright on Happy Birthday.
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:wtf: doesn't make sense.. anyone seen the patent (application)?
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The burger company says owning the 'intellectual property rights' would help its hot deli sandwiches look and taste the same at all of its restaurants
In other words we want a patent cause we don't have a ****ing clue how to simply set guidelines for our staff. Even if they got the patent how would this help them in the slightest in their stated goal? They'd still have to introduce guidelines which would have the same effect even without the patent :rolleyes:
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Hey Mike1 I guess you are going to have to change your nick soon .:lol:
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they're not patenting his nick, just the way to do him.
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they're not patenting his nick, just the way to do him.
Does anyone else find that even mildly disturbing? :nervous:
Back on topic:
I have serious doubts that the patent will actually make it through the office. They might have a legitimate claim on the hardware they use to make it, but they can't possibly succeed in patenting something that has existed for several hundred years. I don't think the US government is that retarded...
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"bread cavity"...
Sounds like a really messy hot pocket to me.
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they're not patenting his nick, just the way to do him.
Does anyone else find that even mildly disturbing? :nervous:
;7
Back on topic:
I have serious doubts that the patent will actually make it through the office. They might have a legitimate claim on the hardware they use to make it, but they can't possibly succeed in patenting something that has existed for several hundred years. I don't think the US government is that retarded...
true enough. patents need to describe a new invention to go through, but I'm pretty sure they know that at macky d:s, so there probably _is_ something new about it.
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Possibly the new chemicals the machine injects into your sandwich?
New! With REAL fake LETTUCE
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they're not patenting his nick, just the way to do him.
Does anyone else find that even mildly disturbing? :nervous:
Back on topic:
I have serious doubts that the patent will actually make it through the office. They might have a legitimate claim on the hardware they use to make it, but they can't possibly succeed in patenting something that has existed for several hundred years. I don't think the US government is that retarded...
They ARE that retarded...thats the sad part. At least the patent office.
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Well given that they allowed Amazon to patent not deleting your customer's records immediately after a transaction and call it one-click I'd have to agree with you.
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If they have enough money they can get anything patented, and micky dees has plenty
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The question I have is this: Why patent it?
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So, do they pay their executives to come up with these ideas, or do they just go ask the crazy homeless people for business advice?
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Those... bastards!! They can't patent ME!!!! I'll patent them right back!!!!!!!!!!!
/me ™ patents self.
<------------- hehehehe
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:wtf:
/me ™ patents self.
:lol:
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they're not patenting his nick, just the way to do him.
:lol:
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If they do, they will find some way to get every sandwich making company to pay them royalties.
win/win situation: everyone either continues buying at mcdonalds b/c everyone doesn't care, or because other sandwich places are more expensive due to the paying of royalties.
OR
should people boycott, the other places are STILL going to have to pay them royalties.
the ingenuity of the situation is astounding.
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If they do, they will find some way to get every sandwich making company to pay them royalties.
win/win situation: everyone either continues buying at mcdonalds b/c everyone doesn't care, or because other sandwich places are more expensive due to the paying of royalties.
OR
should people boycott, the other places are STILL going to have to pay them royalties.
the ingenuity of the situation is astounding.
People won't care. You will still have those fat people who live next door to McDonalds and drive there.
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Those... bastards!! They can't patent ME!!!! I'll patent them right back!!!!!!!!!!!
/me ™ patents self.
<------------- hehehehe
Well, technically, US patent law prohibits that, as long as you're actually human. :nervous:
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don't worry, the Israeli army will be after them in no time. followed shortly by the jewish deli lobby.
[/janos]
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"sandwich delivery tool" just has a great ring to it.
is that the poor sod they pay to serve the food ?
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They serve you food in McDonalds? I thought they just threw the thing(not even a real sandwich) on a tray and grumbled haveaniceday like the sulky high school students they are...
here in the American South (Texas) we get the best in McDonalds service :ick:
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McDonalds = :ick: :wtf: :drevil: :mad: :hopping: :no: :doubt: :blah:
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There seems to be a disproportionate number of HLPers from Texas.
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They may patent the sandwich, but can they patent the sammich?
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(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b319/Mistah_Kurtz/arnold.jpg)
"Heeyuhhh. Maybe dey would like to patent my sandwich: THE KNUCKLE SANDWICH! DEYAUHAUHAUHAUHAUHAUH!!!!"