Research Guides: Mechanical Engineering: Patents

Locating Patents

Effective patent searching involves more than using keywords. Save time and maximize your success by completing this module:

Lens
Free, user-friendly, open access resource for world wide patent research. Years of coverage vary by country.
Espacenet
Worldwide patent search provided by the European Patent Office (EPO). Years of coverage dependent on country.
Google Patents
Perform a quick search for patents (not comprehensive - if a patent is located through this search engine it is recommended you search the patent number through the USPTO or Epacenet to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.)
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Official database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Full text searching from 1976-present, limited searching back to 1790.

Derwent Innovations Index
Value-added patent information from Derwent World Patent Index as well as patent citation information from Patents Citation Index®.