If patents were only intended to encourage the disclosure of trade secrets, then they would only cover things that you actually can keep secret. Many if not mos

If patents were only intended to encourage the disclosure of trade secrets, then they would only cover things that you actually can keep secret. Many if not most of the patents cover features of products that become obvious when the product is released. You cannot keep a trade secret on your innovative mouse trap design and then go ahead sell the mouse trap.