New in the PTC: Eddie Van Halen, aluminum can grips, and a rant about "provisional patents"

The latest issue of Inventor's Digest arrived a few days ago bringing word of a new invention called the can grip, a simple device that "eliminates the need for a coaster." Unfortunately, I just learned about this on the last day of San Francisco Beer Week. Oh, well, I'll be ready for next year.

Also included in this month's issue, an image from Eddie Van Halen's "musical instrument support" (I'm beginning to see a guitar shredder trend developing in this blog), a story about some snazzy bicycle helmets, a profile of a former Microsoft executive who is now testing his inventing chops in the kitchen, and a prickly rant about how provisional patents don't exist.

This content is not yet available on their website, but you can always find the latest issue of Inventor's Digest in the Patent and Trademark Center.