inventing things that exsist?

[duckers101]

has anyone laid in bed at night (or something like this)in deep thought and invented somthing only to realise to utter horry that the bloody thing already exsists?

i've invented:
A flight of stairs that movie by themselves.
A cusion for a toilet as to keep it warm or at least not so cold.
And a shirt sewn to a skirt for convence.

 

[Not-here-anymore]

Yes, frequently. Most recently a teasmaid - in essence, a hybrid alarm clock/kettle so that you wake up with a cup of tea ready to go.
I didn't realise it was already a thing until I explained it to a tea-drinking friend of mine, who laughed...

 

[manaman]

A flight of stairs that movie by themselves.

How is it that you never saw an escalator before you had that notion?

Also I think inventing has a bit more two it then thinking of an idea, then again I have a few patents that say otherwise.

 

[[.redacted]]

Story of my life.

I invented (amongst other things) the ISA (high interest limited savings account), nail clippers, and the gyroscope-stabilised jet engine.

Hooraaaaaay...

 

[FalloutJack]

This has indeed happened on occasion. However, the creation of a thing while having no prior knowledge OF a thing is no less brilliant. It simply proves that great minds DO think alike. Sadly, this won't get me any money...

 

[duckers101]

A flight of stairs that movie by themselves.

How is it that you never saw an escalator before you had that notion?

Also I think inventing has a bit more two it then thinking of an idea, then again I have a few patents that say otherwise.

dont nessaceraly have to have not seen it before
just not have it in the old brain box when you think of said idea.

 

[Swaki]

i mostly "invent" (i dont invent them, i merely think of ideas, no blueprints or prototypes) things that no one else but me would ever need, like shoes with extra space for people who broke their pinky toe as a kid and now need the extra space (now i just cut open the side of my shoes), cigarette buts that dont bounce (my ashtray is on the floor and sometimes the buts jump into my pc or onto my rug) and liquorice water, i kinda have invented that by putting strong salmiak licorice in a bottle of water and letting it dissolve over the night, but being able to buy it in stores would be nice, oh and glasses that dont get all foggy, those would be great i become blinded when i walk into a store in this weather.