Library Guides: Plastics Engineering: Patents & Standards

What are Patents?

Definition

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. To get a patent, technical information about the invention must be disclosed to the public in a patent application.

Learn more about Patents

Patents and Patentability
Short guide from the University of Minnesota on the basics of patents.
Penn State Patent Search Tutorial
Developed by Penn State Librarians, this tutorial will help you to understand the process and procedure in searching for patents.

Patents Subject Guide
A complete guide to Penn State's resources for patent searching.

Finding patents

Google Patents
imported and scanned patents from the U.S. and several other countries. Only full text search for pre-1976 U.S. patents
Patent Classification

esp@cenet - European Patent Office Database This link opens in a new window
international patent searching with varying years of coverage depending on the country
"Over 30.5 million documents including the most recent 24 months of publications from the European Patent Office,recent 24 months of PCT-publications from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the EPODOC database for"worldwide documents" where coverage varies by country (withUS Patents from 1836 to present), or Japanese Documents -PAJ (Patent Abstracts of Japan) bibliographic database since 1976."
Derwent Innovations Index This link opens in a new window
(PSU users only) enhanced patent information for easier searching including citation tracking and simplified names
Derwent Innovations Index® facilitates rapid, precise patent searching, letting you conduct patent and citation searches of inventions in chemical, electrical, electronic, and mechanical engineering. This resource merges the value-added patent information from Derwent World Patents Index® with the patent citation information from Derwent Patent Citation Index®. You can use additional descriptive information and coding to quickly grasp a patent's significance and its relationship to other patents. Reduce duplication of R&D; track competitors' activities; detect and avoid patent infringement; identify potential gaps in the marketplace and possible licensing opportunities.

The article Patent Search for STEM Researchers provides additional sources for patent information

PATENTSCOPE
includes over 73 million patent documents: PCT and national/regional collections, AI-based developed-in translation tool, chemical structure search and CLIR that finds synonyms search terms and translates everything into 13 languages,
Global Corporate Patent Dataset
created by the University of Virginia Darden School this dataset links 3.1 million patents awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), between 1980 and 2017, to 9,200 publicly listed firms worldwide.

What are Standards?

Definition

Standards are guidelines or rules for products, processes, test methods, or materials. These are created to produce a level of uniformity, interchangeability, reliability, or means of comparison.

Learn more about Standards

Introduction to Standards
Guide to standards and American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) role in both U.S. and international standardization.
Standards 101
Guide on standards development, background, and common questions.

Standards Subject Guide
Links to addition resources for finding standards.

Finding Standards

Full-Text Access to Standards that Require PSU Login

ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library This link opens in a new window
One of the largest and most prolific standards-producing organizations. Provides voluntary standards for materials, products, systems, and services.
Provides full-text of all current standards
Provides full-text access to all current ASTM (American Society of Testing Materials) and AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) standards. Content on the ASTM Compass platform to which we do NOT have access: ASTM Videos, AATCC, API, AWS and AWWA. Remote users must use the GlobalProtect VPN for access. VPN information for remote users.
ASME Standards Collection This link opens in a new window
Publishes standards covering piping, fittings, bolts, valves, hoists, cranes, fasteners, and elevators and escalators.
Note: To view use Guest Access or create a free account to save items.
Contains full-text access to all active American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards, including the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC). Note: To view full-text use "click here to access via institutional account" or create a free account to save items.
IEEE Xplore This link opens in a new window
Includes standards for communication, computers and electronics, electrical devices, power generation (including nuclear energy), medical devices, learning technology, transportation, and testing information and measurement.
Contains full-text of all active standards published since 1988.
IEEE Xplore contains the full text of all IEEE & IET conference papers, and standards published since 1988 and all IEEE journals since 1884 & IET journals since 1988. The material can be accessed through a searchable database or by browsing. 100 concurrent users. Inactive users timeout after 15 minutes. NOTE: We do not have access to the following IEEE content: IEEE Draft Standards, IEEE eLearning Library and IEEE English for Engineering. Additionally, we do not have access to various 3rd party content hosted by IEEE.
SAE Mobilus This link opens in a new window
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) develops standards for ground vehicles and aircraft.
Includes full-text SAE Aerospace Standards from 1942-present and Ground Vehicle (J) Standards from 1952-present.
Full-text of all Society of Automotive Engineers technical papers from 1906 - present, journal articles from 1998 - present, Aerospace Standards from 1942-present, Ground Vehicle Standards from 1952-present, and current Aerospace Materials Specifications.
ASABE Technical Library This link opens in a new window
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) organization is dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food, and biological systems to develop efficient and environmentally sensitive methods of producing food, fiber, timber, and renewable energy sources.
Database includes full-text access to their standards.
All of the recent technical documents published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers including full text access to journals, standards, technical reports, conference proceedings, and monographs.

Free Online Access to Standards (not all include full-text access)

Standards.gov
Background materials and useful links for locating information about the use of standards in government. Primary focus is on federal agency use of standards for regulatory and procurement purposes
EverySpec
Provides free access to over 50,000 U.S. military, Department of Defense, Federal, NASA, DOE, and Government specifications, standards, handbooks, and publications
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Administrator and coordinator of U.S. private sector standardization system. ANSI does not develop standards but examines and approves standards developed by others.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
A non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration. NIST's mission is to develop and promote measurement, standards, and technology to enhance productivity, facilitate trade, and improve the quality of life.

Penn State University Libraries

Plastics Engineering

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What are Patents?

Finding patents

What are Standards?

Finding Standards