Patent News Blog: Celebrity Patents: Michael Jackson Anti-Gravity Lean Shoes (US Patent 5,255,452)

Celebrity Patents: Michael Jackson Anti-Gravity Lean Shoes (US Patent 5,255,452)

Michael Jackson patented special shoes to perform his signature 'Smooth Criminal' lean. By Miguel Taveras, Noro IP Patent Division Director

Have you ever wondered how Michael Jackson did his anti-gravity lean? Well, it turns out The King of Pop was more than just a talented singer, dancer and artist; he also invented and patented one of the most unique shoes ever designed. His shoe allowed the wearer to lean forward beyond their center of gravity by hitching to a rod projecting through a stage surface.

Images from his patent can be seen below:

As shown in the images, the shoes had a special slot cut out of the bottom of the shoes so that Michael could seem to defy gravity, while really just hanging on by a peg protruding from the stage floor that inserts into the slit in the bottom of the performer's shoes.

The question arises though, why would Michael Jackson get a patent for his special shoes? As is the case in most patents, Michael would have wanted one of two things. The first would be exclusive rights to sell his shoes to the public. But seeing as I have yet to see any MJ shoes on the market that don’t belong to His Airness (Michael Jordan), that is probably not the case. Instead, Michael Jackson probably wanted to make sure that no other performer could steal his anti-gravity lean and use it in their performances.

For those looking to find his shoes in action, check out the video below.

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October 2, 2009

Category: Patents, Celebrity Patents | Tags: Anti-Gravity Shoes, Michael Jackson, Smooth Criminal Shoes

Comments

10/03/2009 15:19:44

I looked at the video and I slowed it down as much as possible but I couldn't see the "pegs" in the ground that attached to their shoes.

10/03/2009 16:31:07

The hole in the bottom of the shoes doesn't look secure enough to hold a person leaning that far to me.

10/03/2009 16:41:06

looks like the peg would lock in place to me.

10/03/2009 16:45:36

Maybe the reason you can't see the peg in the video is because he altered the way his shoes worked sometime after he got the patent. It could be magnetic locking or something else.

Gena777
10/25/2009 00:52:44

Even in the unlikely event that there had been patent infringement, there's no way another performer could have filled MJ's shoes.

PURA
08/29/2011 20:46:23

MJ IS THE BEST THE LEAN IS INCREDIBLE! I BELIEVE THAT THE SHOES JUST SUPPORTED MICHAEL JACKSON AND THE SHOES WERE FOR THE OTHER DANCERS THAT WERE DANCING WITH MJ!

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