Mechanical Engineering

Patents are an important and useful form of literature. The most commonly given reason for performing a patent search is a patentability search for "prior art". However, patent literature can be useful for many other reasons, including:

  • To discover new research. Patent information is often available before scholarly literature on a specific technology if it is published in scholarly literature at all. Corporations rarely publish research outside of patents if it is not publicly funded.
  • Patents are highly detailed explanations of a technology or invention. This level of detail is generally not available anywhere else.
  • Relevant patents and other related literature are referenced in the very beginning of each patent. Because so much research is done by an inventor and patent examiner prior to patenting, patents are an excellent gateway to the literature on a particular technology or invention.
  • Patents are historically significant primary documents covering over two centuries of U.S. innovation.

Keyword Search Tips

  1. What are the "keywords" in your search?  Which terms get to the heart of the invention/technology?
  2. Think of at least three synonyms.
  3. Think of alternate spellings.
  4. Could your technology have applications in different fields?  What terminology is used in those other fields?

US Patent Searching