Without inventions where would we be? Over the years brilliant minds have made our lives easier and saved us time and trouble with their innovative ideas. As a mother of five I couldn’t image life without a washer and dryer, a refrigerator, and maybe most of all the disposable diaper.
I have to admit that some inventions leave me scratching my head and saying, “What were these people thinking?”
In August of 2005 Kimberly Clark received a patent for a special kind of diaper to help toddlers in their journey of potty training. An effervescent agent was added to the diaper so basically when the wearer of the diaper urinated they would experience a popping and crackling sensation. I guess it would be like having Pop Rocks in your pants or maybe Rice Krispies. Regardless it wasn’t a winner and just fizzled out, pardon the pun.
There is a potty that was patented in December of 2004 that works on the reward theory. A motion detector is built in under the seat and when it senses movement a candy is dispensed as a reward. At first I thought it was a pretty good idea but I know once my kids figure it out they would be dropping stones or pouring water into the potty so they could get a candy. I would end up refilling it fifteen times a day.
How about some Pet Display Clothing? A patent was issued in May 1999 for a vest that a kid can wear that is covered in plastic tubes big enough for a gerbil to run through. There are two pockets on the vest, one opens to put the pet in or take it out and the other pocket holds food. Really, who thinks of these things?
For those parents who are serious about their kids wearing headgear for their braces there is an invention called the Reminder and Enforcer Apparatus patented in August of 1988. An alarm is actually implanted in the child’s mouth; the alarm will go off if a magnet in the headgear isn’t in place after a certain amount of time. The alarm is loud enough to annoy the wearer or embarrass them if they are in public. I’m thinking why not program the alarm to go off when you clap your hands, then you could also use the device as a child locator. Come on!
The invention that, in my opinion, takes the cake is one that was patented in June of 1984 called the Tricycle Lawnmower. Yes it is exactly what it sounds like. Someone actually put lawnmower blades between the back tires of a tricycle so as their child rode around the yard they cut the grass at the same time. Sharp blades and a three year old; does this sound wrong to anyone else??
I think some of these inventors might have been on medication and if they weren’t maybe they should’ve been. At least this tells our children the only thing that limits them is their imagination. “See a need, fill a need” is how Mr. Bigweld, of the Disney movie Robots, put it. I can’t wait to see what the next generation comes up with.
