Bizarre Inventions: 15 Times Folks Got Way Too Creative With Their Patent Ideas

In an attempt to save time on arduous yard work, inventor Paul Frederic Kinnier designed a pair of pants with a net "comprised of a web section and a solid section" that could be either permanently or temporarily secured between one's legs.

Back in 1893, August Linquist designed this alarm not to keep grave robbers from pilfering coffins, but for "persons who are prematurely buried before life is extinct," who can then "sound an alarm, thus notifying the cemetery officials of the fact."

Brice Belisle designed this delightful outerwear for owners of small animals, like mice and gerbils, to give their beloved pets time to shine.

Inventor Jhoon G. Rhee was keen on protecting the butts and hips of skateboarding enthusiasts with this device, which is "constructed from a resilient material, such as plastic foam which may be covered with a tough, pliable plastic material or the like," back in the late 1970s.

Inventor Adelaide Shelby Helene explained how the 1927 device creates "illusory effects calculated to impress the subject with their being of a supernatural character and to so work upon his imagination as to enable an inquisitor operating in conjunction with the recording system to obtain confessions and graphically record them."

I'm not one hundred percent sure what that all means, but I would probably confess to anything they wanted after just seeing the photo from the patent.

This mid-1990s patent by Julius Bota looks a bit more like it's from the Middle Ages when it comes to apprehending a suspected culprit. But you can't deny it would definitely be effective in suppressing any aggressiveness.

In 1970, Anne Margaret Zaleski decided the best way to help the seemingly universal fear pups have of the vacuum cleaner would be to muffle the sound and give the device a fluffier, more familiar appearance.

Invented by Paul R. Harriss in 2000 for those parents who apparently don't think their small children spend enough time crawling all over them.

Yep, that's right: a diaper for your pet bird. Bertha A. Dlu'gi created this design in 1956 for owners of small birds "to provide a sanitary garment for birds that is extremely light in weight and that may be worn by a bird without hampering its movement in any way."

It's hard not to wonder if Joel S. Kreiss was inspired by his own lack of aim when he concocted this patent with the idea "to attract the attention of urinating human males" back in 1976.

This idea from Dan L. Fain might not have seemed so far-fetched back in the Old West, but you can't help but question how necessary he felt it was as an addition for cars in 1986 to have a receptacle to "receive sputum" while heading out on the road.

Pet owners in the early 1960s attempting to use medications and treatments against common issues like fleas or other pests might have been tempted by this shield designed by Kesh Seroun. It was intended to keep dogs and cats from rubbing off the ointments or powders before they had the chance to do their job.

Inventors Guy Charvin and Patrick Frechet suggested this painful-looking implantat process for men frustrated with their baldness, but I think it might have just helped convince guys in the mid-'90s that toupees aren't so bad.

Apparently shadow puppets were too old school for David J. Budreck, who drew up this idea for entertaining youngsters with one's feet in 1995.

A simple beer helmet was just not enough for inventor John D. Geddie, who designed this unique way to enjoy mixed drinks on the go.

Did we miss any strange inventions you've seen someone try to patent? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!