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Becky Schroeder

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Rebecca "Becky" Schroeder (born 1962) is an American inventor and one of the youngest females to be granted a US patent.[1][2][3] When Becky was 10 years old she thought of using a backing sheet of paper with phosphorescent lines that could be placed under writing paper that would allow her to write even with no other light available. She was granted U.S. patent 3,832,556 on August. 27, 1974, when she was 12 years old. The formal title of her invention is "luminescent backing sheet for writing in the dark," [2] or "Glow Sheet."[4] NASA showed an interest in the invention, since they were working on a similar idea at the time.[1][5]

Schroeder went on to receive a total of ten patents for this product; the first for the original idea, and nine more for improvements. Her "Glow Sheet" was used by nurses working in hospitals at night so they did not have to wake patients by turning on lights. Sailors in the Navy used the invention at night on ship decks. She also created a version that uses batteries called the "Glo Panel." She sold her inventions through the company she created called B.J. Products, Toledo, Ohio.[6][7]

Schroeder is from Toledo, Ohio. Her father, Charles Schroeder was a patent attorney, and also an inventor.[2] In August 1975 she received her second patent.[8] She has since received a number of additional patents for her inventions.[9] Schroeder is featured in a children's non-fiction book called "Girls Think of Everything."[10][11]

References

  1. ^ a b "Audio: Glo-sheet (Public Radio Commentary by Bill Hammack)". www.engineerguy.com. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  2. ^ a b c Jones, Stacy V. (1974-08-17). "Girl Finds Way to Write in Dark". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  3. ^ "Inventions and Discoveries: Engineering Women - National Women's Hall of Fame". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  4. ^ "The 10 Youngest Inventors of All Time - young inventors, inventors, youngest inventors". Oddee. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  5. ^ "Inventor does what NASA fails to do". Pleasanton Express. 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  6. ^ Casey, Susan (1997). Women Invent: Two Centuries of Discoveries That Have Shaped Our World. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 1569765111.
  7. ^ "Audio: Glo-sheet (Public Radio Commentary by Bill Hammack)". www.engineerguy.com. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  8. ^ "Inventors". people.com. 25 August 1975. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  9. ^ "Becky J. Schroeder Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  10. ^ Coles, Amy (2016-05-31). "Picture book biographies: best heartwarming true stories". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  11. ^ Thimmesh, Catherine. Girls think of everything : stories of ingenious inventions by women. pp. 47–50. ISBN 978-1-328-77253-4. OCLC 1060539244.
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