What individual designed the most ubiquitous object

Factual Questions
1

I looked out my front window and saw a neighbor kid in one of those red and yellow Little Tikes cars. I realized I had seen the exact same car yesterday at my daughter’s house, and I wondered if one individual was the lead designer for that product.

I’m interested in the sort of object that is instantly identifiable - rather than a “technology” such as the phone. Today’s cellphones bear little resemblance to Bell’s invention. Many more daily products were gradual adaptations through time, rather than the product of one or a few people at a specific point in time.

Any ideas? Maybe Post-it notes?

2

My first thought was Gideon Sundback’s invention of the zipper.

3

That’s a good one! The wiki thread cites Henry Petroski - a very interesting writer.

4

Is this thread to discuss which object is the most ubiquitous, or who designed it?

5

Possibly John Kemp Starley and his "safety bicycle"?

6

Who invented buttons on clothes? They predate the zipper.

7

If we go that far back, I’d say the sewing needle.

8

I’m going with “string”.

9

Antonio Pasin designed and built the Radio Flyer wagon.

10

Are we looking for the most ubiquitous item with a single known inventor? Not something that’s just so old that we don’t really know, like a spoon.

11

So - w/ button, string, and needle, you guys got identities for the designers/inventors?
The safety bike seems to have a pretty direct relation to modern bikes - tho I suspect there are more zippers. I certainly own several times as many zippers as bikes…

12

Most ubiquitous consumer item, say experts: plastic bags, invented by Gustaf Thulin Sten.

Ubiquitous item I thought of: screw-on caps, invented by George Mason (of Mason jars).

13

I read the OP’s intent as: “What is the most ubiquitous object for which a single named inventor is known?”

14

How about Johan Vaaler - inventor of the paper clip

15

László Bíró and his ballpoint pen.

16

Osbourn Dorsey. He’s the guy that invented the modern door knob. He was awarded a patent in 1878.

17

Who invented the wheel or fire? :slight_smile: These people were first to portray the wheel Elam - Wikipedia

18

Henry Phillips - Phillips Head screw and screwdriver. Yes, his head was exactly shaped like that. Wikipedia says it it "the world’s most popular screw’ and since a lot of things have screws it must be pretty ubiquitous.

19

What about a pointed stick?

20

Froog the Caveman and the wheel.