Paul Luvera Journal
ROBERT KEARNS INVENTOR OF THE INTERMITTENT WINDSHILD WIPER – Paul Luvera Journal
A lawyer’s blog reflects on Kearns’s invention, patent litigation and the film Flash of Genius.
1964–1995 · Detroit, Michigan
Robert Kearns & the windshield-wiper patent
Science, education & exploration
Inventor Robert Kearns fought automakers over the use of his intermittent windshield-wiper technology. His long patent dispute placed an individual inventor against large manufacturers. Flash of Genius dramatizes the litigation and its strain on his family; John Seabrook’s collection includes the reporting behind the film.
Content note
Source note: screen portrayals may condense events or use fictional characters. Books and films are identified separately; a companion book is not necessarily the film’s source.
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The Story
When1964–1995
WhereDetroit, Michigan
In this collection4 resources
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Blogs & Essays
Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →
From the journal
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Blogs & essays
1 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
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Books
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Books
1 itemsJohn Seabrook
Flash of Genius: And Other True Stories of Invention
A collection containing Seabrook’s story about Kearns. Only part of the book concerns the events adapted into the film.
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Movies & TV
Movies
1 itemsAbout these sources
Watch links, previews and title listings are identified below. Rentals or subscriptions may be required.
Film / television guide
Flash of Genius (2008)
Dramatized portrayal of these events. Film information and availability are provided by the linked source; dialogue and chronology may differ from the historical record.
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TV & documentaries
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Fiction Work · 1 adaptations & inspirations
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
Film / television guide
Flash of Genius (2008)
Dramatized portrayal of these events. Film information and availability are provided by the linked source; dialogue and chronology may differ from the historical record.
Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & film details
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
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Podcasts & Audio
Podcasts
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Social Media
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News & Reading
Free & Library Reading
0 sourcesExplore free articles, book previews and library options. The label on each item explains what you can access; a catalog entry does not mean the whole book is free.
No additional case-specific reading source was confirmed in this review. The reporting and original summaries elsewhere on this page remain available.
Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-15. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine. Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
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Newspaper clippings
0 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
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Internet Archive
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court document
Kearns v. Chrysler, 32 F.3d 1541
The Federal Circuit’s 1994 opinion addresses issues in Kearns’s patent litigation. An actual published opinion, not a new law or the complete litigation docket.
Historical source
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Roads Traveled
Roads Traveled
Open case map →Detroit, Michigan. The map provides regional context; individually verified historical places are listed below.
Where this story happened
Detroit, Michigan
Highlighted states show regional context, not exact addresses. Ontario and regions outside the contiguous U.S. are listed by name.
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Location research & source notes
This case was added after the September 14 map-source review and has not yet been checked against those sources.
The map shows regional context for this case. No individually sourced historical place is included below.
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
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