How long does a patent last?

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Lonnie Johnson, inventor of Super Soaker, a large plastic pump-action water gun, holding U.S. patent for his invention while sitting on grass outside his home.

How long does a patent last?: Media

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Lonnie Johnson, inventor of Super Soaker, a large plastic pump-action water gun, holding U.S. patent for his invention while sitting on grass outside his home.

Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker

Patent protection, like Johnson's, gives inventors time to profit from their ideas.

© Thomas S England—The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images