History Flash of Genius - (Those bastards at Ford)

I've never given much thought about the intermittent windshield wiper, but it makes for an interesting story....

From Wikipedia:

Robert W. Kearns (10 March 1927 – 9 February 2005) was the independent inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper systems used on most vehicles from 1969 to the present.
Dr. Kearns's claim to fame was winning one of the most well-known patent cases against a major corporation—in his case, Ford and Chrysler. He invented and patented the intermittent windshield wiper mechanism for use in light rain or mist and tried to interest the big auto makers in it. They all rejected his idea, and then some auto makers proceeded to install intermittent wipers in their cars beginning in 1969. He had received his patents in 1967. He started legal actions against Ford in 1978 and Chrysler in 1982. By 1995, after many court battles reaching to the Supreme Court, he had received approximately US$30 million in compensation for their non-deliberate patent infringement.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-0>[1]</SUP>

The movie, coming out next week, has a really cool website...

http://www.flashofgenius.net/

Here's a link to his patent...

http://www.google.com/patents?id=JF4TAAAAEBAJ&dq=3602790

 

Not a first for Ford, the bastards had a cost/benefit analysis done before deciding NOT to repair the Pinto gas tank problem back in the early seventies. The bean counters estimated they'd have to spend about $120 million to fix all the cars, but only about $50 million in injury and wrongful death lawsuits.

I also vaguely remember a similar deal earlier in the sixties where faulty engine cooling fan blades seperated and caused several injuries and deaths. If I remember right Ford attempted to cover this up as well.

 

If thats non-deliberate what the fuck is??
Doc.

PS, the intermittent wipers on my daily Ford dont work!

 

And why can you NEVER find the right speed for the Intermitant wipers!!!!!! Mine are always one click too fast or one too slow! At least with the Vacuum wipers in the 54 I can fine tune the speed by hand. Electrics need a rheostat!

 

Hey, thinking about this, how many of you ever thought they would make a movie about windscreen wipers?

 

GM and Evans Cooling are in a legal battle right now about the cooling system used in the Corvette. GM is accused of stealing his design ideas AFTER he agreed to meet with them and he has patents. All of big business does this kind of stuff.

 

Those guys at Ford stole my "Bullit Edition" mustang idea. They didn't use Steve McQueen's signature on the front fenders behind the front wheels but the rest was my idea. I told them a new Mustang would be compensation enough! Now that's cheap! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

 

Don't want to forget that this goes to the very beginning of the auto industry.

Henry was sued by Selden for patent infringement on the Otto-cycle engine. Henry won the case, opening the way for inexpensive cars.

 

Why don't all the other car companies have to pony-up? Just haven't go that far yet?

 

George Seldon was a Rochester NY native. My "hometown".

 

Chevy had intermittent electric wipers in the late 50s. I have them on several old trucks (58 car electric wiper motor was also used on 58-59 trucks).

I guess Ford and Chrysler don't have very good lawyers.

Oh yeah...they are talking about intentionally intermittent wipers.

 

I though Joseph Lucas invented those.

http://www.kitcar.com/articles-kitcar/humordept/lucas-prince.html

 

The Evans/GM disagreement is interesting.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2003/10/01/353431/index.htm

He should sell the movie rights....

Rich

 

Don't matter which company it is their all a bunch of greedy bastards,I don't think any big company has any morals.

 

Finally a movie I would pay the $12 to see. $12 is still ridiculous though.

 

I used to adjust the speed on my Edsel wipers with the creative use of acceleration.

 

Joseph Lucas. The Prince of Darkness...

 

If Lucas had invented them, you would have to stop and solder in a different resistor to change speeds...

I used to work on the Lucas injection systems for vintage Can-Am cars. Only Lucas could come up with a system that required 3 fuel pumps to work correctly...

Lucas refrigerators: why the British empire drinks warm ale.
Lucas ad: At least our vacuum cleaners don't suck!...Hey, wait a minute...

BTW, I can't WAIT to see the movie!

 

Didn't some British company make computers for a short time, but they kept leaking oil?

 

He invented the self cancelling windshield wiper .

 

Lucas switches have three positions...off, on and maybe!

 

Why would a Lucas wired car need wipers? If it's rainin' the engine ain't gonna run....

 

That's why George Lucas went all out in his movies. He didn't want to be mistaken for that other Lucas.

 

Ford introduced the intermintent wiper in either 1964 or 1965. My 65 Comet Caliente has intermintent wipers & I can remember the initial lawsuit being filed.

I always wondered why Ford/Merc. never bought the rights to produce them? Then charge Chrysler-GM, MB... etc to use the idea. That was sure not one of their "Better Ideas"

 

i have an acquaintance, a very clever engineer, who says he has an idea that would "revolutionise" the automotive industry. now, i'm sure many brain-dead wankers have said that, but this guy is not brain dead, nor a wanker. i'm of the opinion that he may in fact have a truly exceptional idea in his head...

problem is, he refuses to show anyone, because he knows the big auto makers would take the idea, make billions from it, and he would see nothing. it's a shame to think that him and many other clever people keep their mouths shut because we can't protect them from the "big boys".

 

why the hell would anyone want a new mustang???

 

haha, I'd like to see my girls reaction if I asked here about going to the movies to see a movie about..... windshield wipers

Looking at the trailer it looks like a cool movie!

 

I always thought it was "Dim, Flicker, & OFF"!!


The patent stuff seems to live in the courts. I remember an old fellow from where I grew up, lock in a suit with the OEMs on A/C patents that he ever got any royalties for.

 

We should have a HAMB movie night in the Metro Detroit area and all of us go see it together.