Robert Kearns
Inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper system.
Robert William Kearns was an American mechanical engineer, educator, and inventor. He is best known for developing the intermittent windshield wiper system that became standard on most cars starting in 1969. His first patent for the device was filed on December 1, 1964, following earlier attempts by others that never reached production.
Kearns’s legal battles against Ford and Chrysler are among the most famous patent infringement cases in U.S. history. He sued Ford in 1978, turning down a $30 million settlement offer before a jury awarded him $5.2 million; Ford ultimately paid $10.2 million to avoid further litigation. The Chrysler case began in 1982 and ended in 1992 with a judgment of $18.7 million plus interest, which was upheld on appeal. After spending over $10 million in legal fees, Kearns received about $30 million from Chrysler by 1995. He mostly represented himself in the Chrysler suit, even questioning witnesses.
Kearns’s inspiration came from a 1953 incident when a champagne cork struck his left eye, leaving him legally blind in that eye. Ten years later, while driving his Ford Galaxie in light rain, the constant wiper motion irritated his vision. He modeled his design on the human eye, which blinks intermittently. Ford initially expressed interest but later abandoned plans after Kearns began setting up manufacturing. When Ford introduced the feature in 1969, Kearns challenged the automaker, refusing settlements and insisting on a court hearing.
The auto industry argued that Kearns’s invention was invalid because it used only off-the-shelf parts and was therefore obvious. Kearns countered that his combination of components was novel and non-obvious.
Kearns filed lawsuits against numerous automakers and parts manufacturers, including Ford, Porsche, Volkswagen, Ferrari, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Rolls-Royce, Saab, Toyota, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, United Technologies, and Bosch. Over decades of litigation, three law firms dropped him, and he continued as his own attorney. Some cases were dismissed after he missed filing deadlines. His wife recalled that he insisted from the start, “This is not about money.”
Born on March 10, 1927, to Martin J. Kearns and Mary E. O’Hara, Kearns served in the U.S. Army during World War II, working in intelligence and tool manufacturing as part of the Office of Str
- born
- March 10, 1927
- died
- February 9, 2005
- field
- Mechanical engineering, invention
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Inventing the intermittent windshield wiper system
Lore & Background
Robert Kearns served in the US Army in intelligence-related groups and tool manufacturing, and was a member of the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Detroit Mercy, a master's degree in engineering mechanics from Wayne State University, and a doctorate from Case Institute of Technology. Kearns claimed the inspiration for his invention came from an incident on his wedding night in 1953, when an errant champagne cork shot into his left eye, leaving him legally blind in that eye. Nearly a decade later, while driving his Ford Galaxie through light rain, the constant movement of the wiper blades irritated his vision, leading him to model his mechanism on the human eye, which blinks every few seconds.
Reader's Guide
Kearns's invention and subsequent legal battles reshaped how patent infringement cases are viewed in the auto industry. He filed his first patent on December 1, 1964, and after Ford introduced the feature in 1969 without licensing, he spent years acting as his own attorney. He turned down a $30 million settlement offer from Ford, eventually winning $10.2 million, and later received approximately $30 million from Chrysler after a 1992 verdict. His story, covered in a 1993 New Yorker article and the 2008 film Flash of Genius, highlights the tension between independent inventors and large corporations. The auto industry argued his invention was obvious because it used off-the-shelf parts, but Kearns maintained it was a novel combination. His legal obsessions broke down his 27-year marriage and caused distance from his children. He died of brain cancer at age 77.
Did You Know?
- Kearns served in the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the U.S. CIA, during World War II.
- He turned down a $30 million settlement offer from Ford and took the case to a jury, which awarded him $5.2 million; Ford later agreed to pay $10.2 million.
- Kearns mostly acted as his own attorney in the Chrysler lawsuit, even questioning witnesses on the stand.
- The 2008 film Flash of Genius, starring Greg Kinnear, is based on Kearns's story.
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