Who invented the variable speed windshield wiper?
Who invented the variable speed windshield wiper?
Robert Kearns
Robert Kearns, the inventor of intermittent windshield wipers, who won multimillion-dollar judgments against Ford and Chrysler for using his idea, has died. He was 77. Kearns died of cancer Feb. 9 at his home in suburban Baltimore, his family said.
Who invented windshield wipers?
In “Flash of Genius,” Greg Kinnear plays Robert Kearns, a professor who invented intermittent windshield wipers. Based on a true story, Kearns claimed that Detroit automakers stole his idea and sued them in a long, drawn-out battle.
Who invented the intermittent wipers?
Robert Kearns, 77, Inventor of Intermittent Wipers, Dies. DETROIT, Feb. 25 – Robert W. Kearns, the inventor of intermittent windshield wipers, who won multimillion-dollar judgments against Ford Motor and Chrysler for using his idea, died on Feb.
Why is the term flash of genius important to the story?
The film’s title comes from the phrase “flash of genius” (like “stroke of genius”), which is patent law terminology that was in effect from 1941 to 1952, although Kearns’s patent was filed in 1964; it held that the inventive act must come into the mind of an inventor as a kind of epiphany, and not as the result of …
Where did Robert Kearn get the idea of intermittent wipers?
Kearns first got the idea for a “windshield wiper that blinks” after losing the sight in one eye when a champagne cork exploded unexpectedly on his wedding day. In 1963, he showed Ford a new Galaxie in which he had installed electronic-based intermittent wipers.
Why did Mary Anderson not make any money from her patent?
743,801 to a Birmingham, Alabama woman named Mary Anderson for her “window cleaning device for electric cars and other vehicles to remove snow, ice or sleet from the window.” When she received her patent, Anderson tried to sell it to a Canadian manufacturing firm, but the company refused: The device had no practical …
Who played Robert Kearns?
actor Greg Kinnear
Kearns was played by actor Greg Kinnear. Kearns had six children with his wife Phyllis, although they separated, supposedly as a result of the stress from the legal battle….
| Robert Kearns | |
|---|---|
| Died | February 9, 2005 (aged 77) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
How much did Kearns make?
Kearns won one of the best known patent infringement cases against Ford Motor Company (1978–1990) and a case against Chrysler Corporation (1982–1992), reports Wikipedia, from which he netted about $30 million. He probably could have won more if he had settled, but he was out to make a point about invention theft.
Did a black man invented the windshield wipers?
Mary Anderson patented the windshield wiper in 1905. Her invention could clean snow, rain, or sleet from a windshield by using a handle inside the car. Her goal was to improve driver vision during stormy weather – Mary Anderson invented the windshield wiper.
What does Kearns figure out is wrong with his windshield wipers in flash of genius?
According to Dennis, his oldest son, it turned white all at once, in 1976, when Kearns took apart an intermittent-windshield-wiper apparatus made by Mercedes and discovered that the great German carmaker had apparently infringed his wiper patents, too.
What was Robert Kearns principal argument when he was defending his invention in court?
Kearns’s claims. But the jury sided almost entirely with the 62-year-old inventor, who installed a set of his wipers on a 1962 Ford and took it to the auto maker. Mr. Kearns argued that because Ford engineers frequently asked him to discuss the design, he thought the company would buy the system.
How much money did Robert Kearns get from Ford?
Finally, in 1990, after more than a decade in the legal system, the Ford Motor Company agreed to settle with Robert Kearns for $10.2 million. In 1992, Kearns won a judgment against Chrysler for $30 million.
What did Robert Kearns die of?
Earlier in life, Robert Kearns had been a high school cross-country star, an outstanding violinist and a teenage intelligence officer in World War II for the Office of Strategic Services, a forerunner to the CIA. Kearns died of brain cancer complicated by Alzheimer’s disease in Baltimore, Maryland.
When did John Kearns file his first patent?
His first patent for the invention was filed on December 1, 1964, after a few previous designs by other inventors had failed to gain any traction in manufacturing. Kearns won one of the best known patent infringement cases against Ford Motor Company (1978–1990) and a case against Chrysler Corporation (1982–1992).
What are some of the best books about John Kearns?
“Annals of Invention: Flash of Genius, an incisive, 1993 article which appeared in The New Yorker and is the basis for the film about him, is a must read for those interested in Kearns inspiring life and his disputes with multiple automobile manufacturers.
What happened to Robert Kearns’ wife Phyllis?
Kearns and his wife Phyllis were divorced, though several family members attended the movie’s premiere. According to the film, Phyllis left Robert due to the stress of the court case.
