Meet Matthew Sleman, the boy who thought about patents at 5 and turned ordinary plastic building bricks into color-changing blocks that earned him one of the youngest US patents

A simple question can sometimes be the beginning of an unusual invention. For Matthew Sleman, the starting point was his curiosity about patents and a familiar childhood toy. Instead of simply using plastic building bricks for play, he began considering whether they could be changed in a way that would make them even more enjoyable.

The Idea Began With Curiosity

Matthew was only 5 when he first became interested in intellectual property. He wanted to come up with an original invention that could receive a patent, which led him to look more closely at the plastic, interlocking bricks he used.

As he considered possible changes, Matthew concentrated on one objective: finding a way to increase the fun of the bricks. His brainstorming eventually produced the idea of giving the blocks an unusual feature, the ability to change color.

Testing a New Kind of Building Brick

Coming up with the concept was only the beginning. Matthew then explored various techniques to create the color-changing effect. He experimented with different ways of coating the plastic bricks to see how they could be made to change color. Matthew moved forward with a patent application for his color-changing building bricks.

A Patent Issued in May 2023

The invention eventually obtained a U.S. patent. U.S. Patent Number 11,642,606, spanning Matthew’s color-changing building bricks, was issued in May 2023.

The patent made Matthew one of the youngest U.S. patent holders. It also represented the progression of a concept that had started when he was 5 years old, when his interest in intellectual property prompted him to think differently regarding a daily set of building bricks.

Sharing the Patent With His Class

Matthew did not keep the achievement to himself. Proud of his accomplishment, he brought his patent to school and showed it to his class.

His story focuses on a straightforward chain of events: curiosity about patents led Matthew to rethink his plastic building bricks, brainstorming produced the color-changing concept, experimentation explored different coatings, and support from his parents helped him apply for a patent. That effort resulted in U.S. Patent Number 11,642,606, issued in May 2023.

Source: USPTO

FAQs:

1. Who is Matthew Sleman?
Matthew Sleman is a young inventor whose interest in patents began when he was 5. He developed an idea for color-changing building bricks.

2. What did Matthew Sleman invent?
Matthew developed color-changing plastic, interlocking building bricks. He experimented with different methods of coating the bricks.