A couple years ago I applied for a patent on a simple "Double Chamber Oxygen Bag" a DCOB if you will.
The bag was meant to replace the oxygen bag on an EMT's mouth to mask apparatus. The device would isolate the EMT's breath from the patient. Probably about $5 to make it.
Patent office challenged it by saying a previous inventor "foresaw" my version of his rube goldberg.
Neither the US Army nor the manufacturer of the face mask were interested. Although some ER doctors and an army doctor thought it was a good device.
In light of the bird flu I should maybe recontact these people again.
I would think you'd sell a ton of these to EMTs in San Francisco...
97% of all patent applications are denied on the first pass.
I have some and only one made it on the first pass. I didn't file the patents myself or even make corrections on the 2nd pass etc, the corporate lawyers did it all after sitting with me for about 20 minutes.