A student writes that his family was fortunate to have the Bumper Dumper, produced by the Uncle Booger Company, attached to their SUV on a recent trip.
This device — essentially a toilet seat attached to the back of the car — has substitutes, like any other monopolized product: nearby gas stations, the roadside, etc., although the former is infrequently available in isolated areas, and the latter probably doesn’t provide the same high-quality experience.
The company charges $70 — a high price, but the patent on the unique hitch attachment allows it to charge this price and still sell. I expect the monopoly to disappear when the patent expires; but for now, it allows this innovating entrepreneur to earn monopoly profits. Isn’t American ingenuity wonderful?!
(Hat tip: J.W.)
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It seems less objectionable than a lot of patents. If the idea was obvious, then why hasn’t anyone done it before? It’s not like a software patent where the reason it hasn’t been done before is that anyone would immediately think of it once the computers are good enough, but the computers only just started to get good enough; cars have been around for a while. It’s unlikely a lot of people would have to pay royalties for building these in their garages, either.
The main reason to object to this patent seems to be that toilets are things to laugh at. I find this a poor reason to object to a patent.
I would anticipate that the price would still remain around the same when the patent expires solely, there currently are many alternatives to this product ranging in price from $40 to $200 or higher with the flexibility of not exposing your dairy aire to all those in view of the back of your SUV.
Does it come with the warning label “do not use while vehicle is in motion”?
It is hard to imagine another company attempting to enter the Bumper Dumper market trying to compete on price when the first movers could easily lower their prices to eliminate the competition and return to Monopoly status.
The real competition is more likely from do-it-yourselfers who can purchase the components very easily and assemble them themselves. Attaching a toilet seat to a truck hitch is a fairly trivial task, but for some not worth their time so $70 is worth the cost.
What is wonderful is that there are actually people who buy this thing!
@1: I don’t see anything in the post or any comments that implies that the patent is objectionable. If anything, the post seems to be a celebration of such a clever product.
I did a little “okie engineering” and welded on a seatbelt. You really need that 700 pound test seat when you are bumpin’ along farm roads. I’ve found viewing the road backwards a hoot, and when your huntin’ buddies pass some one, they mostly don’t want to chase ya.
“I don’t see anything in the post or any comments that implies that the patent is objectionable.”
I doubt anyone would refer to a patent as granting a monopoly, and granting the owner monopoly profits, in a post that’s genuinely praising the patent.