Jenei LLC

Issued and official: the USPTO has registered THE MENTAL GAME design mark, U.S. Reg. No. 7,750,765, on the Principal Register.

By The Mental Game, LLC (Ohio), this registration covers Class 9 (downloadable podcasts and downloadable video podcasts in the field of mental health) and Class 41 (online and in-person courses, seminars, workshops, and speaking engagements in the field of mental health and positive personal habits, plus non-downloadable podcasts and video podcasts).

Takeaway: this is how you turn a brand into a protectable asset, match the mark to real use, and cover the channels where your audience finds you.

Want a focused trademark conversation to map options, tradeoffs, and costs before you file?

A provisional patent application is only helpful if it supports what you will claim later.

Lesson: “good enough” means clear technical detail, drawings, and variations, not a short summary.

Common mistake: filing a thin document to hit a deadline, then discovering you cannot rely on it for broader coverage.

Next step today: list five variations, alternative materials, steps, ranges, or layouts. Want a quick review before you file?

Fresh out of the USPTO: U.S. Patent No. 12,285,020 for “BRAIDED SOFT PRETZEL APPARATUS AND METHOD.”

This patent covers an apparatus and method that forms dough into a braid pattern, then cuts it into sticks or bites, washes it in a caustic solution, and bakes it. The braided pattern is the clever part. It helps the pretzel expand and aerate during baking without getting “locked in” by the pretzel skin, which supports that soft interior people want.

Big congratulations to the inventor, Gary Gottenbusch (Cincinnati, Ohio), on this milestone.

Takeaway for founders building physical products: patents reward clear process steps and the “why it works” details, not just the end result.

Want to talk through whether your product is better protected by a patent, a trade secret strategy, or both?