I get asked this question often, "Which inventor patented the greatest number of inventions?" It is a difficult question to answer since the United States Patent and Trademark office does not keep track of who the most prolific inventors are. However, in November of 2007 Condé Nast Portfolio released an article* about the most profilic inventors after doing some private research to determine who had been granted the most U.S. patents. The following are the most prolific living inventors according to Condé Nast:
- U.S. patents: 1,811 - Japanese inventor, Shunpei Yamazaki age 65 mostly in the field of L.C.D.'s memory chips
- U.S. Patents: 1,646 - Australian inventor, Kia Silverbrook age 49 mostly in the field of high-tech paper and printers
- U.S. Patents: 1,350 - American inventor, Donald Weder age 60 mostly in the field of decorative packaging
- U.S. Patents: 485 - American inventor, Joseph Straeter age 46 mostly in the field of decorative packaging
- U.S. Patents: 674 - Gurtej Sandhu age 47 in the field of memory and imaging chips
- U.S. Patents: 671 - Leonard Forbes age 67 in the field of memory and imaging chips
- U.S. Patents: 635 - Warren Farnworth age 53 in the field of memory and imaging chips
- U.S. Patents: 612 - Salman Akram age 40 in the field of memory and imaging chips
- U.S. Patents: 515 - Mark Gardner age 52 in the fields of computer chips, consumer electronics, and energy
I think they forgot Edison, I believe he had over 1200.
also how about percy julian and nikola tesla
search Melvin DeGroote. He had 950 U.S. patents (according to Time Magazine)
Thomas Edison had a total of 1093 inventions
These inventors are still living- they could conceivably go far beyond even these amazing numbers. That said, the whole point of patents is to encourage innovation, and not give individuals bragging rights.
#1 seems like he might be a jerk, #2 may be grandiose ideas without substance, and #3’s contributions to society don’t seem so grand upon closer examination.
The inventor (no longer living) I admire most wasn’t interested in having any patents.
Julian, Tesla and Edison aren’t alive so they wouldn’t be on a list of most prolific living inventors.
Because the people from patent office don’t know what Mr. Yamazaki was inventing, it took him 1,810 tries into perfecting the lcd. And at 1,811 he said perfection………
The article mentions this is a list of living inventors, hence no edison or tesla.
…also, I like that Einstein only has one. This list clearly isn’t a list of intelligence or “greatness”.