2025年05月10日
会社の職務に無関係の発明について、自分で特許を取れるか？【リライト版】
会社の従業員の場合、権利は会社に帰属するそうですね。
個人で特許を取ることはできないのでしょうか。
会社の業務に関係なければ（いわゆる職務発明でなければ）です。
本記事では、質問者の趣旨に沿って、職務発明の一般論を説明します。
まず、職務発明とは、その発明が、
✓従業員が発明をすることによって給料をもらっているような発明
会社側の言い分としては、
✓給料を払っている発明の権利まで、従業員に渡すのは合理的でない
というイメージです。
✓従業員に対して、会社に権利を承継させるような契約を求めます
しかし、このような扱いは、あくまで職務発明に関するものだけです。
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会社と関係なく個人の趣味の発明まで同じ扱いでは困りますね。
なんで会社のものになるんだ、という感じでしょう。
職務発明であるかどうかの判断は、デリケートな面もあります。
職務発明であるかどうかを判断する会社もあるでしょう。
例えば従業員の発明は全て会社を通すようにする会社もあるでしょう。
（このことの是非は、また議論します。）
その際は会社の関連部署（知的財産権部や法務部）に相談しましょう。
あるいは、特許事務所（弁理士）にご相談ください。
特許事務所（弁理士）は、守秘義務を負っています。
相談者の不利益になることは一切ありません。
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東雲特許事務所（しののめ特許事務所）
弁理士 田村誠治（元特許庁審査官）
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＜機械翻訳＞
Can I obtain a patent for an invention that is unrelated to my job at the company? [Rewritten version]
(Q) I like thinking of ideas, so I'm thinking of trying to obtain a patent.
I heard that if you are an employee of a company, the rights belong to the company.
Is it impossible to obtain a patent on your own?
(A) There are cases where an individual can obtain a patent.
As long as it is not related to the company's business (as long as it is not a so-called employee invention).
<Explanation>
In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about employee inventions.
In this article, we will explain the general theory of employee inventions in line with the questioner's purpose.
■Employee inventions
First, an employee invention is an invention that:
✓ falls within the scope of the company's business
✓ The act that led to the invention falls within the employee's current or past job
This is my personal opinion, but in short,
✓ An invention for which an employee is paid for inventing
The company's argument is that
✓ It is unreasonable to give the rights to an invention for which they are paying a salary to an employee
Therefore, when it comes to inventions made in the course of employment,
Employees are generally asked to enter into a contract that allows the company to transfer the rights.
However, this only applies to inventions made in the course of employment.
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＜Reference＞Article 35, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act provides as follows.
With regard to inventions made by employees, etc., except when the invention is an invention made in the course of employment, any contract, work rules, or other provisions that stipulate in advance that the employer, etc. shall transfer the right to obtain a patent or the patent right, or that a provisional exclusive license or exclusive license shall be established for the employer, etc., are invalid.
＜Translation＞
If an invention made by an employee is not related to the company, any contract that grants the company rights is invalid.
(Note) Furthermore, even if an invention is related to the company, it may not fall under the above-mentioned inventions made in the course of employment.
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As a general rule, all personal inventions made by employees are personal rights.
It would be problematic to treat inventions made by personal hobbies, unrelated to the company, in the same way.
You may wonder why they become the property of the company.
However, I have explained this in a simple manner so that it is easy to understand.
The decision as to whether or not an invention is an employee invention can be delicate.
Some companies may determine whether or not an invention is an employee invention.
For example, some companies may require all employee inventions to go through the company.
(We will discuss the pros and cons of this later.)
You may be unsure whether your invention is an employee invention.
In that case, consult the relevant department of your company (the intellectual property rights department or legal department).
Or consult a patent office (patent attorney).
Patent offices (patent attorneys) are bound by confidentiality obligations.
There is no disadvantage to the person consulting.
I hope this is helpful.
