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Chemistry: Finding Patents

Research and reference sources for chemistry

Important Terms

  • Utility Patent - Issued for the use of a new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or a new and useful improvement.
  • Design Patent - Issued for a new, original, and ornamental design embodied in or applied to a new article of manufacture. 
  • Plant Patent - Issued for a new and distinct, invented or discovered asexually reproduced plant including cultivated sports, mutants, hybrids, and newly found seedlings. 
  • Freedom to Operate - A term referring to the commercial availability of producing your product in a given country, without infringing on others' third-party rights. 
  • Markush Patents - Also called "Markush Claims," allow patent filers to group like chemical substances together without explicitly naming each compound.

"Patent essentials" via USPTO

Ways to Search for Patents

There are several ways to search for patents based on what information you have as a researcher.

Keyword - Recommended for conducting a preliminary search of the patent literature landscape, and a good way to gather classification information on filed patents.

Patent Number - This is a persistent identifier for the patent, it will bring you to one specific patent. 

Inventor - If you know the name of the company or the individual filing a patent, or want to see a list of patents that a company has filed. Some databases may also refer to this as the assignee or applicant. 

Classification - Patents are all classified under a certain subject, this is recommended to conduct a thorough search of patent filings. See EspaceNet link below for classification search help.

Reference Sources

Library Databases with Patent Search Features

Additional Search Training

Free Patent Search Tools

These are some online resources that provide free patent access to the general public.

Freedom-to-Operate Search Training

Reference & Instruction Department

Reference & Instruction Department
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