Weird patent for a weird spacecraft design

[RainDreamer]

Just found this patent on google patent: https://www.google.com/patents/US20060145019?dq=spacecraft&hl=en&sa=X&ei=DGgnVZWgL9DV8gWZ_YCoAg&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBA

You should check that link out for more detail and context, but I am gonna link an image here and quote part of the patent for those with cursory interest:

This invention is a spacecraft with a triangular hull having charged flat plates on the vertical corners of the three sides. The two rear corners are charged to a potential V. The forward corner is charged to a potential −V. The 60° angle on the corner creates a line charge density singularity that produces a huge horizontal electric field pointing from the back to the front of the craft which is also parallel to the sides of the triangle. An array of horizontal slot antennas located on the sides of the triangular hull produce an electromagnetic wave with the electric field polarized in the vertical direction. This combination of fields produces a spacetime force in both the vertical and horizontal directions such that the spacecraft receives a lift force and a force of propulsion.

I am not entirely sure if this patent makes sense or not...what do you think?

Spacetime force...what the heck is that?

[ZetaX]

I am not entirely sure if this patent makes sense or not...what do you think?

That you are wasting time looking into crackpot spaceships

Seriously, just because there is a patent for it does not imply any practicality, not even possibility. Up to my knowledge there are several patents for perpetuum mobiles and time machines out there.

[Streetwind]

Well, if it has a magnetic field to push against, it can theoretically work.

Practically, it might take too much power per unit of thrust to actually be useful. Also, if the shape of the craft is so important - there's not much, if any, room to put payload.

[Firwen]

Well, if it has a magnetic field to push against, it can theoretically work.

It remember me the design of the lifters ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionocraft ).

However, they work only in the atmosphere, not in space.

[Stone Blue]

Also, if the shape of the craft is so important - there's not much, if any, room to put payload.

Hmmm...How can you tell that, when there are no dimension, weight, or mass specifications listed?...How do you know that thing isnt supposed to be 1 mile long on each edge?....Seems to me that would make for (possibly), plenty of room for (human) crew and payload...

Perhaps the patent is based off a found ship, similar to the one supposedly described in the Rendlesham Forest incident:

"Staff Sgt. Jim Penniston said “black, shiny, triangle-shaped object was 3 meters long by 2 meters high (9.8 feet by 7 feet).â€Â" , And perhaps the crew is only 6 inches tall, which seems to me there might quite a bit of crew space for them...

Edited April 10, 2015 by Stone Blue

[Tommygun]

So is it supposed to push against a planet's magnetic field?

If it is, it sounds a little like the electrodynamic tether they tested on the shuttle.

They talked about using it to rise and lower the station and even possibly for Interstellar travel, although Interstellar travel turned out to be impractical.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20050215611.pdf

[ido66667]

No, from what I understand it is supposed to push against spacetime. They say the spacecraft induces spacetime cuverture with electromagnetic fields, lol.

[Firwen]

They say the spacecraft induces spacetime cuverture with electromagnetic fields, lol.

The amazing thing is that they have allowed a patent for this...

[ZetaX]

The amazing thing is that they have allowed a patent for this...

Why shouldn't they¿ It's essentially some moron paying money to them (the state in most cases) for them to put a stamp on a piece of paper and list it somewhere. It's not like it entitles you to claim that it works (that's what peer-reviewed publishing is for).

[RainDreamer]

So is it supposed to push against a planet's magnetic field?

If it is, it sounds a little like the electrodynamic tether they tested on the shuttle.

They talked about using it to rise and lower the station and even possibly for Interstellar travel, although Interstellar travel turned out to be impractical.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20050215611.pdf

If I read the patent right, the idea is closer to this:

[Firwen]

Why shouldn't they¿ It's essentially some moron paying money to them

Because it means that they validate wtv crap that pass in their hands without even checking if it is realistic or possible.

[RainDreamer]

Because it means that they validate wtv crap that pass in their hands without even checking if it is realistic or possible.

I don't think verifying claims is the job of the patent office though. They just keep track of claims and assign claims to inventors. Proving something works or not depends on the inventors.

[ZetaX]

Because it means that they validate wtv crap that pass in their hands without even checking if it is realistic or possible.

And why should they check that¿ If some idiot gives me significant amounts of money for every paper I put my stamp of approval on, I will stamp them right ahead. I might hassle to make an official statement on it's correctness/realism/etc. with that, but there is no reason not to take the money if they just want a stamp without any implications.

[henryrasia]

Spacetime force?

Who the hell approves these patents? Not scientists, I'd imagine.

[KSK]

The amazing thing is that they have allowed a patent for this...

They haven't. The patent was filed in 2004, published in 2006 but (perhaps unsurprisingly) there is no date of allowance.

I don't think verifying claims is the job of the patent office though. They just keep track of claims and assign claims to inventors. Proving something works or not depends on the inventors.

Sort of. The claimed invention must be novel, non-obvious and capable of use (amongst other criteria) and it's absolutely the examiner's job to verify those criteria. However, you're right in that whether something works or not (apart from extremely limited cases) is not normally the examiner's concern.

'Capable of use' is the notable criterion here - if something does not and cannot work (for example, a perpetual motion machine) then it is not capable of use and not patentable. This is an interesting case though - I'm not sure if claim 1 would be rejected as being incapable of use.

1. A spacecraft comprised of the following components:

(a) a triangular hull in the form of an equilateral triangle;

( two copper plates attached on opposite vertical sides at each of the three corners of the hull (1 a) such that a sharp vertical edge is formed where they come together;

© an electrostatic generator used to charge the back two copper-cladded corners (1 to a high positive voltage, and the third forward copper-cladded corner to a high negative voltage;

(d) a horizontal slot antenna array mounted-on the sides of the hull; and

(e) a frequency generator, antenna and coaxial cables to drive the antenna array (1 d).

That claimed spacecraft will produce an electromagnetic field and hence is doing something, even if that something is not particularly exciting. However, claim 4:

To create, by claims (2,3), an interaction of the electrostatic field (2) with the electromagnetic wave (3) such that a combined spacetime curvature pressure is generated on the hull in the upward and forward direction to produce lift and propulsion respectively.

Is gibberish and would almost certainly be rejected.

[vger]

Perhaps the patent is based off a found ship, similar to the one supposedly described in the Rendlesham Forest incident

That's exactly what it reminded me of.

So someone tried to patent what was already a popular UFO "design?"

*cough*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_triangle_%28UFO%29

Edited April 10, 2015 by vger

[Firwen]

So someone tried to patent what was already a popular UFO "design?"

If you have a quick look to the others "inventions" registered by the same guy, the UFO patent looks relatively reasonable compared to the rest.

https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=pts&hl=en&q=ininventor:%22John+St.+Clair%22#

[Kryten]

This one includes hyperspace and subspace. Methinks Mr. John St. Clair watches just a tad too much bad sci-fi.

EDIT: and it turns out hyperspace is useable for remote viewing , with which the inventor was able to communicate with apparently anglophone telepathic insectile space aliens.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Kryten

[Deutherius]

This one includes hyperspace and subspace. Methinks Mr. John St. Clair watches just a tad too much bad sci-fi.

EDIT: and it turns out hyperspace is useable for remote viewing , with which the inventor was able to communicate with apparently anglophone telepathic insectile space aliens.

Also, you can construct it from wood and plexiglass!

So, the folks at google the patent office get a lot of money AND a good chuckle? I'd say that's a win-win situation.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Deutherius
fix'd a mistake pointed out by Firwen - thanks!

[Firwen]

So, the folks at google get a lot of money AND a good chuckle? I'd say that's a win-win situation.

Google do not have anything to do with it, they just reference the US patent office.

Also, you can construct it from wood and plexiglass!

He invented Kraken powered spacecraft before Jebadiah: this guy is a visionary

[RainDreamer]

You know, I think I hit a gold mine with this guy. Like, imagine writing stories about his inventions and what happen with it and at the end of the day he goes to patent it. Lots of material here for a TV series, even. I wonder if this is just really serious satire. Like a story told through patents.

Here is a patent for a functional teleporter

edit: seems like people have been talking about him in the past with all the fancy invention back then. I am a bit late to the party then.

Edited April 10, 2015 by RainDreamer

[smjjames]

Looks kind of like the battleplates from the Schlock Mercenary comic.

[KSK]

The teleporter 'patent' was hilarious.

The inventor reminds me of this guy. Similar idea but more Rube Goldberg than random science-fiction.

[Rolanvorxariat]

I think i know what i is.

ILLUMINATI CONFIRMED.

Just kidding. In reality, i have no idea what it is.

[ido66667]

https://www.google.co.il/patents/US20040102810?dq=ininventor:"John+St.+Clair"&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xScoVaz1H4SMaI29gagO&ved=0CCAQ6AEwATgK

As an example of this, notice that basketball player Michael Jordan is able to float more than the other players. As he moves down the court and jumps with the ball in his hands, he accelerates the chakra energy between the hands and resonates the energy inside the spherical ball. His forward velocity then becomes crossed with the rotating chakra energy which provides him sufficient extra lift to out jump his opponents. It was also learned that Jordan clears out the locker room just before a game and meditates. This allows him time to concentrate on increasing the spin of his chakra energy.

I wonder what John St. Clair has to say about Lebron James...

https://www.google.co.il/patents/US20060071122?dq=ininventor:"John+St.+Clair"&hl=en&sa=X&ei=iiooVbvpIcjnaoDegZgO&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAzge

The basis for this invention is an event, referring to FIG. 1, occurring on May 2, 2004, in which the inventor (“heâ€Â) personally experienced a full-body teleportation while walking to the bus stop (A) along a road ( that runs perpendicular to the nearby commercial airport runways where planes are landing.

You got to read the whole thing.

Edited April 10, 2015 by ido66667