JOINTS AND CONNECTIONS

Classification 403/all - subclasses >> view this class definition

U. S. PATENT RESOURCES

As general guidance, a complete search of U. S. patents in this art area will include the following:

1. A classified search of the original classification class and subclass for the subject matter and the other highly relevant art areas in the US patent documents
2. A text search of the US patent documents; patents, PG PUB, and OCR databases:
• Broad text search for the general inventive concept(s), not limited by classification
• Narrow text search for the specific claimed invention
• Boolean text search employing the relevant inventive terms

The resources listed below are internal USPTO search tools. However, the information that they cover is available either commercially, on the USPTO web site, or in the Public Search Facility on the USPTO Headquarters campus and the Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries.

EAST/WEST

EAST Coverage: 1971 - present, Full Text: 1971 - present

WEST Coverage: 1971 - present, Full Text: 1971 - present

Full text patent and inventor searching.

Classification search is most useful. Due to the broad subject matter of Class 403, a complete search often includes searching other classes. This is determined on a case by case basis. Backward and forward citation searching has proven to be useful for this class.

BRS Search/USOCR Database

EAST Coverage: 1920 - 1970, Full Text: 1920 - 1970

WEST Coverage: 1920 - 1970, Full Text: 1920 - 1970

Full text of U.S. patent grants.

This art is difficult to text search because the terms are so common and have so many synonyms (fastener, joint) so classified search is most useful. Due to the broad subject matter of Class 403, a complete search often includes searching other classes. This is determined on a case by case basis.

PGPUBS

EAST Coverage: 2001 - present, Full Text: 2001 - present

WEST Coverage: 2001 - present, Full Text: 2001 - present

U.S. published applications.

This art is difficult to text search because the terms are so common and have so many synonyms (fastener, joint) so classified search is most useful. Due to the broad subject matter of Class 403, a complete search often includes searching other classes. This is determined on a case by case basis.

FOREIGN PATENT RESOURCES

Searched separately from the U.S. Patent Search. These databases consist of abstract documents. Text searching abstracts requires the use of different search logic e.g. the use of broad Boolean and/or operators instead of narrow proximity operators.

Derwent World Patents Index and the contents of the EPO Abstracts and JPO Abstracts are available commercially.

Derwent World Patents Index, Classification and Text Search

EAST Coverage: 1963 - present, Full Text: - N/A

WEST Coverage: 1963 - present, Full Text: - N/A

English abstracts database of patent documents from more than 40 patent-issuing authorities.

Used for text searching.

EPO Abstracts, Text and Classification Search

EAST Coverage: 1978 - present, Full Text: - N/A

WEST Coverage: 1978 - present, Full Text: - N/A

English abstracts database of patents and published applications from EPO, WO/PCT, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Switzerland. USPC searching is limited to documents added to the database from 1978 to September 30, 1995.

Used for text searching.

EPO esp@cenet

esp@cenet Coverage: 1920 - present, Full Text: 1920 - present

National patent information from all member states of the EPO as well as bibliographic data from patents worldwide.

Used to retrieve document when patent number is known.

JPO Abstracts, Text and Classification Search

EAST Coverage: 1976 - present, Full Text: - N/A

WEST Coverage: 1976 - present, Full Text: - N/A

English abstracts database of Japanese published unexamined applications. USPC searching is limited to documents added to the database from 1978 to September 30, 1995.

Used for text searching.

NON-PATENT LITERATURE RESOURCES

The resources listed are those that USPTO staff have found consistently yield the most relevant search results. Commercial databases available through a single vendor can generally be searched simultaneously, although it is preferable to search full text and bibliographic databases in separate groupings. In addition to the use of subscription databases and public Internet sites, it is recommended that books, manuals, standards and specifications be considered in the search for prior art.

CSA Technology Research Database (TRD)

Dialog Coverage: 1963 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Megafile of the technical bibliographic databases provided by Cambridge Scientific Abstracts.

Indexes and abstracts the literature of materials science, mechanical engineering, etc. Literature indexed includes journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, books and standards.

Encyclopedia of threaded fasteners

STIC online catalog Coverage: - , Full Text: - 1994

Jackson, F.

This resource provides reference information.

Gale Group New Product Announcements/Plus (NPA/Plus)

Dialog Coverage: 1985 - present, Full Text: 1985 - present

Full text press releases from all industries covering announcements related to products, with a focus on new products and services.

JICST-EPlus - Japanese Science & Technology

Dialog Coverage: 1985 - present, Full Text: - N/A

STN Coverage: 1985 - present, Full Text: - N/A

English citations and abstracts covering the literature published in Japan on all fields of science, technology, and medicine.

Index to Japanese scientific and technical journals, conferences, and reports, with English citations and abstracts.

Knovel

Knovel Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: Dates - vary

Science and engineering books and databases.

Full text engineering and scientific reference books with interactive tables and graphs. Titles include Mark's Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers.

NTIS: National Technical Information Service

Dialog Coverage: 1964 - present, Full Text: - N/A

STN Coverage: 1964 - present, Full Text: - N/A

U.S. government-sponsored research, development, and engineering reports.

PASCAL

Dialog Coverage: 1973 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Questel Orbit Coverage: 1967 - present, Full Text: - N/A

STN Coverage: 1977 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Multidisplinary, multilingual bibliographic database covering the major international literature in science, technology, and medicine.

Index to scientific and technical literature produced by the French National Research Council. Each citation includes the original title and usually French- and English-translated titles and indexing terms. Most abstracts are in French.

ProQuest Direct

ProQuest Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: 1986 - present

Current periodicals and newspapers, as well as archives of major newspapers.

Provides access to abstracts and or full text of newspapers, magazines and journals. Includes full text of newspapers dating back to the 1800's.

Standard handbook of fastening and joining

STIC online catalog Coverage: - , Full Text: 3rd ed. - 1997

Parmley, R.

This resource provides reference information.

INTERNET SEARCH TOOLS

An Internet search should be considered when a search of the resources listed above fails to locate relevant prior art. A preliminary Internet search may be performed to obtain an overview of the technology, and to identify additional search terms and related product information.

Google TM

Google Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Internet search engine.

This search engine may provide information on broad topics, specific companies, devices, individuals, materials, products, and properties.

Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Internet search engine.

This search engine may provide information on broad topics, specific companies, devices, individuals, materials, products, and properties.

Public Comments on the Search Templates

Public comments on the search templates are invited. Comments should address the points enumerated in the Criteria for Evaluating Recommended Search Resources. Comments can be submitted via the Search Template Project e-mail link on each template page or by mail addressed to:

Mail Stop Patents Search Template Comments
Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
Electronic submission is preferred. The Office will respond to comments in writing.