Not sure how many patents do get through - especially the overunity energy claims etc. It is difficult to really invent something new, since most ideas are a new application for an old concept. Must make patenting process more difficult to control.
With the headache that patenting presents to the private inventor, the thing that seperates a good company from a bad company is finantial reward for a patent which is incorperated. This encourages thought outside the box.