Some of the coolest inventors are people you probably don't know. Seemingly simple ideas took a lot of creativity and technological prowess.
When we hear the word "inventor," we think of people like Thomas Edison or the Wright Brothers.
Some of the coolest inventors, though, are people you probably don't know. They didn't invent planes or light bulbs; these people created products used so often, you probably didn't even realize they were inventions.
For instance, have you ever wondered how a lollipop ended up on its stick? Or how the straw became bendable? These seemingly simple ideas took a lot of creativity and technological prowess.
1959: A picnic lunch inspired Ernie Fraze to invent the pop top found on soda cans
Whose idea: Ernie Fraze
The inspiration: Fraze, the owner of a successful engineering company, was attending a picnic when he realized he'd forgotten to bring a can opener for the drinks. He ended up prying them open using a car bumper! A few months later, he was having trouble sleeping and thought of the can dilemma. While waiting to get tired, he decided to solve it.
What came of it: Fraze designed a new kind of can, often referred to as a pop top, that could be easily opened with a removable tab. Eventually, his company began manufacturing a system of mass producing these cans to be used by soft drink and brewing companies everywhere. By 1980, Fraze's company was pulling in over $500 million dollars of annual revenue from his brilliant invention. Anytime you open a can of beer or a soft drink, you can thank Ernie Fraze for how easy it is to do.
1937: Joseph Friedman invents the bendable straw so his daughter can more easily drink a milkshake
Whose idea: Joseph Friedman
The inspiration: Friedman was sitting at his brother's soda shop, watching his daughter drink a milkshake. The young girl was struggling to enjoy her beverage through a straight paper straw, whose end she could barely reach. Her father, an inventor, thought of a way to help her out.
What came of it: Friedman inserted a screw into the straw, and wrapped floss around it to create a ribbed texture. When he took the screw out, the straw naturally bent over the rim of the glass and his daughter was able to drink her milkshake with ease. He patented his idea in 1937 and started his own company to produce the straw. The rights to the flexible straw were eventually sold to the Maryland Cup Corporation, which now sells about 500 million of them every year.
1925: Charlie Brannock creates the first accurate way to measure shoe size using toys
Whose idea: Charlie Brannock
The inspiration: The son of a shoemaker, Brannock grew up thinking about feet. As a young man, he became obsessed with figuring out the best way to measure one. The only way to figure out your size at the time was with a wooden block, a method that didn't work very well.
While attending Syracuse University, he set out to solve the problem once and for all. Using a toy construction set, Brannock built a prototype of a device that accurately measured foot sizes.
What came of it: With sales in the millions, the Brannock device has become a staple for shoe stores all over the world. And even though the product is about 85 years old, it remains more or less true to the original model.
1966: James Goodfellow creates ATM pin numbers so people can take money out of the bank after hours
Whose idea: James Goodfellow
The inspiration: The Scottish engineer was tasked with figuring out a way for people to take out money from their banks after hours and on weekends. Eventually, the idea for the ATM was born, and some credit Goodfellow as its inventor. But what Goodfellow undoubtedly created was the Personal Identification Number (PIN).
Goodfellow knew there needed to be a way to confirm the customer's identity at an ATM, but fingerprint scans or voice recognition devices seemed a little too complicated. Then he realized he could link a set of numbers, known only to the account owner, to an encoded card. If the two numbers matched, the person would receive their money.
What came of it: Goodfellow patented the pin number in 1966, and 40 years later received royal honors for his invention. Today, his system can be found in ATMs worldwide, not to mention anywhere debit cards are accepted.
1967: Robert Kearns invents windshield wiper speeds and wins a $30 million lawsuit against auto companies that steal his idea
Whose idea: Robert Kearns
The inspiration: Kearns, an engineer, grew up right near a Ford plant and believed the auto industry was a beacon for innovation. Then, while driving his Ford Galaxie one rainy night, he came up with an idea of how he could contribute to it. In the 1960s, windshield wipers typically had two settings, high and low. So if rain wasn't steady, driving could be extremely difficult. Kearns, who had a bad eye, began to squint to try and see more clearly. Then he wondered, why couldn't windshield wipers blink too? (Note: there is an excellent documentary on Kearns called "Flash of Brilliance").
What came of it: Kearns patented his idea in 1967 and sent it around to the major American car companies, but none bit. However, they eventually all began using his intermittent wipers in their cars. Kearns spent most of the rest of his life battling Ford, Chrysler and other car companies. He eventually won over $30 million, but he lost his wife and his mind in the process. Kearns died in 2005 of complications to brain cancer caused by Alzheimer's disease, shortly after winning the legal battle.
