Can a Simple Invention Be Patented?
- IP Gennesis
- Nov 14
- 5 min read
“My invention is very simple. It can’t be patented, right?”
Many entrepreneurs and inventors ask this question. There is a common misconception that a Patent only protects complicated inventions, advanced engineering, or “rocket-science” technology.
But that is not true at all.
Simple Inventions Can Be Patentable
The Patent system does not reward complexity. It rewards innovation — meaning a new and inventive technical solution.
Whether your idea is simple or sophisticated, the law focuses on what problem it solves and how it solves it, not how “high-tech” it looks.
So yes, a simple invention can absolutely be protected through patent registration, as long as it meets the basic patentability requirements.
A great example is the paper clip, which we will elaborate further in later.
What Makes an Invention Patentable?
A patent protects solutions, not complexity. Now that we know simple inventions can be patented, the next question is:
If complexity doesn’t matter, then what does?
A patentable invention must provide a technical solution to a technical problem.
This simply means your idea should make something:
work better
work faster
work safer
become more efficient
or function in a new way
For example, A bottle cap design that prevents leaking solves a real technical problem. That is a potential patent!
On the other hand, your idea is not considered a technical solution if it only, for example:
changes the colour
changes the shape for cosmetic reasons
rearranges parts without improving function
looks nicer but works the same
has no technical effect
These changes are usually not enough to support a patent application.
The Three Patentability Requirements
To secure Patent Registration, your invention must meet three legal requirements under most Intellectual Property systems worldwide:-
Novelty
Inventive Steps
Industrial Applicability
Most countries — including Malaysia, Singapore, China, the US, and the EU — follow these same three principles. So if your invention meets these requirements, you are already aligned with global Patent standards.
What Is Novelty in a Patent?
Novelty means your invention must be new to the world.
An invention is considered novel if it has never been publicly disclosed anywhere in the world before the date you file your patent application.
In this era, public disclosure may include:
selling the product
posting online (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)
showing it at an exhibition
publishing an article
letting customers use it
talking about it without protection
So, if the public can see it, read it, or buy it — the novelty is gone.
The Most Common Way Inventors Lose Novelty
Surprisingly, sometimes the biggest threat to novelty is not competitors. It is the inventor himself.
Many entrepreneurs unintentionally “kill” the novelty of their own invention when they disclose or sell their invention before filing a patent application.
Once disclosed, it may become prior art, and risk the invention not patentable.
So, here is the golden rule: Do not disclose your invention before filing a Patent Application.
But, if disclosure is unavoidable, for example, you must discuss with a manufacturer, investor, or business partner, then protect yourself with a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). An NDA legally requires the other party to keep your invention confidential. This keeps your idea safe while preserving your novelty for Patent Registration.
What Is an Inventive Step?
An inventive step means your invention must not be obvious. Novelty alone is not enough. Even if your idea is new, it must also involve an inventive step to qualify for Patent Registration.
Inventive Step is defined as something not obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
This sounds technical, but in simpler terms, it means, an ordinary professional in your industry, someone who does this type of work every day, not a beginner, but not a genius either.
Think of it like an “a-ha moment.” Your idea has inventive quality if the typical expert in your field says: “Oh wow… I wouldn’t have solved it that way.”
On the other hand, if they say: “This is the standard solution. Anyone in the industry would do this, although nobody has done it yet” then it is considered obvious, and it likely does not meet the inventive-step requirement.
What Is Industrial Applicability?
Industrial applicability means your invention can be made or used in a real industry. In simple terms, your invention must be practical, not just a theory on paper. It must actually work the way you describe it in your patent specifications.
Compared to Novelty and Inventive Steps, this requirement is usually straightforward. Most inventions naturally satisfy industrial applicability because they can be made and used without special difficulty.
So this is the requirement you don’t need to stress too much about.
We have discussed about the requirements of patent registration in another articles of ours, titled Can Your Invention Be Patented? Here’s what you need to know.
Simplicity Does Not Affect Patentability
Many inventors assume that only high-tech or complicated creations deserve Patent protection. But as we have seen, this is not true. Patent law focuses on Novelty, Inventive Steps, and Industrial Applicability, not complexity.
A perfect example is the early paper clip Patent.
The first known Patent Application for a bent-wire paper clip (U.S. Patent No. 64,088) was registered by Samuel B. Fay, in year 1867.
His invention was remarkably simple.
The Problem
In the 1800s, shops used pins to attach price tags to fabrics like silk, lace, and fine cloth. Pins caused small holes and damaged the material — a real problem for merchants.
The Simple but Clever Solution
Fay invented a way to bend a piece of wire into a loop that:
holds the tag and fabric together
works like a small spring clasp
grips firmly
leaves no holes and no damage
This solution was new, inventive, and useful, it met all patentability requirements under Intellectual Property law.
What Fay Described in His Patent Application
In his Patent specification, Fay explained his solution as follows:
“To remedy and obviate this injury to this class of goods, take steel or other suitable wire and bend it round so as to form a loop at one end… the legs of which are then twisted or turned to cross each other, thus forming a spring clasp… which will hold the ticket and fabric firmly together.”
This simple wire loop eventually became what we now recognise as the modern paper clip.
You can view the actual Patent details here.
Whether or not this is the first paper clip Patent in history is still debated. But one thing is clear, simplicity never stopped Fay from filing a Patent Application, and it should not stop you either.
Common Mistake: “My Idea Is Too Simple, No Need to Patent”
Many inventors give up too early — not because their invention is weak, but because they assume it is “too simple.” This is one of the most common mistakes among entrepreneurs.
They jump to the conclusion that their invention is not worth patenting — without any real basis or research.
Start With a Basic Patent Search
When you create something new, it is useful to check whether similar inventions already exist.
You can start with free patent databases such as:
PATENTSCOPE (by the World Intellectual Property Organization)
These platforms allow you to quickly search millions of Patent documents.
Although a professional Patent search (done by a Patent agent or Patent lawyer) is generally more accurate, doing your own initial search gives you a feel of what is already out there.
Conclusion: Don’t Give Up on Your Invention Too Early
Simple ideas have changed the world. A bent wire became the paper clip. Your “simple invention” might be far more valuable than you think.
Need Help Checking If Your Simple Idea Is Patentable?
If you want to know whether your “simple invention” meets the requirements for Patent protection, reach out to us at IP Gennesis.
We help entrepreneurs turn simple ideas into valuable Intellectual Property assets.
Written by,
Registered Trademark, Patent and Design Agent
LL.B (HONS), CLP
Advocate & Solicitor
Disclaimer: The above information is merely for general sharing and does not constitute any legal advice. Readers are advised to seek individual advice from the professionals.