Since 1901, the Lépine competition has allowed “Géo Trouvetou” to present their inventions in various and varied fields. The automobile is obviously one of the inspiring themes. Overview of the award-winning innovations… and those left behind!
Who has never dreamed of imagining a revolutionary object to make their daily life easier? Since 1901, thousands of inventors take part in the Concours Lépine in the hope of turning their craziest inventions into real success stories.
Parking disc – 1974
Did you know that the ballpoint pen (1919), the potato masher (1931) or the parking disc (1974) were presented in this competition before experiencing large-scale industrialization? For several years, the Foire de Paris has been perpetuating this tradition and highlighting the creativity of French inventors through a competition that is always very popular. It allows the “Géo Trouvetou” to move from shadow to light, according to Barbara Dorey, the director of the competition.
TO READ. These automobile inventions created by women
The “automotive” inventions of 2022
- the vehicle ventilation system. A system intended to do without air conditioning and therefore reduce consumption according to its designer. We would be curious to know how the funnel fixed to the window works in the corks…
- the variable size wheels. Or how to reinterpret a classic: the caterpillar;
- the automatically controlled liftable traffic barriers. A device that sprouts from the ground like a mushroom to decongest traffic with a click;
- the eccentric bearing steering column which, according to its designers ” facilitates cornering and increases safety by modifying the alignment of the front and rear wheels of the vehicle “.
by Minh Truong
Looking back!
In the past, the Concours Lépine has seen and rewarded a few projects that have revolutionized our lives as motorists. This is the case of the bulb horn – ancestor of our horn – that Armand Peugeot presented in 1906 and which fitted his Type 81B Double Phaeton.
There is also the tire inflator offered by Mr. Barthélémy in 1936. To activate it, you simply had to plug it in instead of one of the spark plugs and switch on the ignition so that the compression of the engine supplies the tire with air.
Game of 1000 Terminals (1956)
In the 1950s, it was a game that was to be talked about: the Mille Borne. Invented by Monsieur Dujardin in 1954, the board game was awarded two years later. Even today, he enjoys international success. In 1974, competition saw the birth of the parking disc. An accessory standardized since 1979 at European level and still in use today! More recently, in 2009, the E85 conversion box – whose use is now very popular – made its debut.
>> Discover other inventions from the Lépine Competition << (non-exhaustive list)
