Legal Definitions - combination patent

A combination patent is a type of patent granted for an invention that brings together two or more existing components, elements, or steps in a novel and non-obvious way to create a new, useful, and distinct result. The individual parts or steps themselves may already be known or unpatentable on their own, but it is the unique arrangement, integration, or interaction of these components within the new combination that makes the invention patentable.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Ergonomic Gardening Tool

  Imagine a new gardening tool that combines a standard spade head, a telescoping handle with a unique locking mechanism, and a built-in, spring-loaded seed dispenser at the base of the handle. Each of these components—a spade head, a telescoping handle, and a seed dispenser—might exist individually in various forms. However, the inventor has combined them in a specific configuration where the telescoping handle allows for adjustable reach, the locking mechanism provides stability, and the integrated seed dispenser allows for precise planting without bending over. The combination patent would protect this specific arrangement and interaction of these existing parts, which together create a more efficient and ergonomic gardening experience not previously available.

• Example 2: Advanced Water Filtration System

  Consider a novel water purification system designed for remote communities. This system integrates a known ceramic filter, a standard ultraviolet (UV) sterilization lamp, and a specific type of chemical flocculant dispenser, all arranged in a unique sequence within a portable housing. While ceramic filters, UV lamps, and chemical flocculants are all existing technologies for water treatment, their particular combination and sequential operation in this specific portable system achieve a superior level of purification for a wider range of contaminants, with lower energy consumption, than any single component or simpler combination could achieve alone. The patent would cover this innovative system as a whole, not just the individual, pre-existing components.

• Example 3: Smart Home Security Device

  A company develops a new smart home security device that integrates a commercially available motion sensor, a standard high-definition camera, and a pre-existing voice assistant module. What makes it patentable is a proprietary algorithm that analyzes the combined data from the motion sensor and camera, learns the household's typical activity patterns, and uses the voice assistant to issue specific, context-aware warnings or alerts only when *unusual* activity is detected, rather than just simple motion. The individual components are off-the-shelf, but their unique integration through the novel algorithm creates a more intelligent, less prone-to-false-alarms security system. The combination patent would protect this specific integrated system and its method of operation.