In 1967, Robert Kearns patented a windshield wiper that paused between sweeps; Ford later used the idea and paid him $10.2 million in 1990

Think about the last time you were in a car on a rainy day. The wipers went back and forth, stopped, and went back and forth again. But behind that little pause is a big story. The Smithsonian Archives Center’s guide to the Robert W. Kearns Papers states that Kearns invented and patented an electronic windshield wiper system with intermittent operation in 1967, U.S. Patent 3,351,836. His story tells us much about ideas, credit, and patience.

A small pause with a big idea

The Smithsonian guide notes that earlier wiper systems relied on vacuum tubes to control the system, but Kearns developed an electronic system. His patent, U.S. Patent 3,351,836, describes an intermittent system in which the wiper dwells for a time interval during part of each cycle. The patent also says the system can bypass the pause and run non-stop depending on the state of the windshield. Google Patents shows a filing date of December 1, 1964, and a publication date of November 7, 1967.


The drive to Ford

Kearns didn’t just mail his idea off to some big company. He turned on his wipers, got into his 1962 Ford Galaxie, and drove to Ford's headquarters, The Washington Post reported in his 2005 obituary. The paper also says that Ford engineers had been experimenting with vacuum-operated wipers, and Kearns is described as the first to invent an intermittent wiper with an electric motor. After a while, Ford stopped answering his calls.

When his idea showed up on the road

The Post notes that Ford introduced the first intermittent wiper system in the U.S. in 1969, and other major carmakers were quick to follow suit. Kearns’s wiper was installed on Ford cars, the Smithsonian guide says, without his knowledge. It’s a hard place to be, to see your own invention on the road, and hear nothing from anyone.

Going after the giants

Kearns didn’t let it go. In 1978, he sued Ford for patent infringement, representing himself as Kearns Associates. He first asked for $141 million in damages, but that eventually grew to $325 million. He later filed the same legal action against other automakers, bringing the total number of car manufacturers and other companies he sued to 26.

The verdict and the money

The big moment was July 1990. Ford was found by a federal jury to have unintentionally infringed on Kearns's patent, and a federal court ordered Ford to pay about $5 million in damages. That was a lot less than the $325 million he had requested. Rather than more litigation, Ford settled in November 1990 for about $10.2 million. The jury award was $10.2 million, but the 1990 coverage says the jury figure was about half that. Chrysler awarded Kearns $11 million in June 1992.

A win that came at a price

The money was real, but the fight was long. Kearns fought carmakers like Ford and Chrysler in court for decades. His obituary casts his battle as a quest for the credit he felt he deserved. In his later years, Kearns drove a 1978 Ford pickup and a 1965 Chrysler. No intermittent wipers either. He died on February 9, 2005, at age 77.

What young creators can learn from this

The majority of us might never file a patent. But a lot of us are making things, whether it's an app, a video series, a design, a side hustle. First, keep records. The Smithsonian says the collection includes a near-complete run of Kearns’s invention notebooks dating from 1954 to 1994, and that he held more than 30 patents, with the majority relating to windshield wipers. Secondly, learn the rules early. It’s simple to share ideas online, but keeping them safe is harder. So before you let the world in on a big idea, it’s a good idea to get advice from a qualified professional. Third, get ready for the long haul. Kearns’ suit against Ford began in 1978, and the verdict came in 1990. And finally, don’t forget about credit counts. His story is not simply about money; it's about wanting your name on your work.

The pause that changed the drive

So next time your wipers stop mid-sweep, remember Robert Kearns. One man’s stubborn idea gave us a small everyday feature, and he spent years fighting for recognition. Whether this is your first project or tenth, his story is a good reminder to protect your work and keep going.