Question

Why did inventors apply for patents?

Answer 1

In patent law, an inventor is the person, or persons in United States patent law, ... in a patent application, knowing who an inventor is under the patent law is sometimes difficult.

Answer 2

Patent applications are public, and you can search for existing patents with the USPTO's database. That way, you can avoid patent infringement, which is using, making, or selling a product without permission from the patent owner. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the authority to grant patents to authors and inventors in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8. A patent doesn't automatically give the inventor the right to use the invention, and it could be invalid if prior art or a similar or identical invention is already patented.