Okay, so check it. A lot of articles trying to like, cash in on this huge trend by mentioning the history also talk about this lady, Catherine Hettinger.

They state that she's the one who originally came up with the idea, and it was her invention all along. Although only two sources mention it, this article from They state that she's the one who originally came up with the idea, and it was her invention all along. Although only two sources mention it, this article from The Guardian and one of them is the wikipedia entry for fidget spinners.

But the problem is, But the problem is, her prototype , and her patent for the prototype specifically sound absolutely nothing like a fidget spinner as we know it. A round disk with a skirt is nothing like the three sided, and double sided spinners we know.

So, I noticed (like, just now after watching four youtube videos and totally forgetting this post I was writing. ADHD!) that the patent site used by the Guardian article also links to similar concepts as her rotating device. The earliest mention goes back to 1892 although the information on that patent is unknown. The first known patent is from 1921. Being a Communications major I know a lot about the communications industry and that's about when film was really taking off, so I'm assuming the other three patents were for similar toy devices. Essentially, the 1921 device was a top with images on it that were off by a frame. When spun it made a moving picture. So, I noticed (like, just now after watching four youtube videos and totally forgetting this post I was writing. ADHD!) that the patent site used by the Guardian article also links to similar concepts as her rotating device. The earliest mention goes back to 1892 although the information on that patent is unknown. The first known patent is from 1921. Being a Communications major I know a lot about the communications industry and that's about when film was really taking off, so I'm assuming the other three patents were for similar toy devices. Essentially, the 1921 device was a top with images on it that were off by a frame. When spun it made a moving picture. This guy from the other day might actually be working on a similar project of that prototype but I think it's more like a Zoetrope.

None of the patents sound anything remotely like a fidget spinner as we know it, and whomever really came up with the concept clearly has more right to a patent claim than Mrs. Hettiger does. Though, I think patents are kind of outmoded and Creative Commons is where the world is moving. You know, where the original artist gets credit, but others can use the idea, or work off the idea without problem.

Well if you made it this far, thanks for listening to me ramble, I am muchly humbled by this.

obligatory Reddit TL;DR Lady states she's the original concept of a fidget spinner. Her fidget spinner looks nothing like a fidget spinner as we know it. Her patent sounds nothing like a fidget spinner as we know it. Some rambling about history, and ultimate rambling about patents and the outmoded use of said thing.