Patent categories

Chemicals as such are not listed as a patentable category. Actually, the term chemicals has been used with different meanings by different people at different times and is not susceptible of a really tight definition. Frequently chemicals means compounds. Compounds also are not a statutory class but fit into the broader class of compositions of matter. 

The word portal is often used for web sites that function as an entiy to a repo-sitoiy of information on almost any topic on the Internet. The following portal categories for chemical issues arc distinguished general chemistry sites substance information sites analytical chemistiy sites enviromnental chemistry sites toxicology and occupational health sites as well as patent seiwices [47],... 

We conclude this chapter and wrap up the last three chapters with a few remarks about the application of the ideas contained herein to polymer technology. Chapters 2-4 have been concerned with various aspects of the mechanical states of polymers. The opinion was expressed in Chap. 1 that if polymers did not possess the mechanical properties they have, this whole class of compounds might be relegated to the category of laboratory curiosities. On the basis of any number of criteria-the number of scientists employed, the number of industries involved, the number of publications released, the number of patents issued—polymer science proves to be very viable indeed. 

Photochromic Organic Dyes. Intensive investigations into this category of substances have led to numerous patent appHcations. Copper—phthalocyanine pigments, organic dyes based on cyanine (Ricoh, Pioneer), naphthochinone (Nippon Denki), and ben2othiopyrane (Sony) (123) have been described. They did not lead, however, to any commercial use. Surveys on the possibiUties of optical data storage with photochromic dyes can be found (124,125). 

Patent tides are usually short, and sometimes extremely uninformative. Patents in the latter category include tides such as "Chemical Product" and "Process." Derwent rewrites tides to make them more informative, and IFI/Plenum augments many tides. Words included in patent tides normally are highly relevant, and tide terms are thus usefiil in providing focused, though incomplete, retrieval. 

With the current prevalence of computer Hterature searching, it is relatively easy to accomplish patent searches, especiaUy in Chemicaly hstracts (CAS). In heu of what would be an extensive Ust of patent references to the many appHcations for VP homo- and copolymers, a Ust of the major categories and the number of patents granted in each of them during the period 1989—1995 is given in Table 17. More detail concerning the patents is provided in Reference 27. 

For purposes of tracking statistics on database classes, several subclasses for word-oriented and number-oriented databases have been estabhshed. Word-oriented databases can be subdivided into bibhographic, patent/trademark, directory, dictionary, full-text, and other categories. The first pubHcly... 

Although the first two materials discussed in this chapter, the polyphenylenes and poly-p-xylylenes, have remained in the exotic category, most of the other materials have become important engineering materials. In many cases the basic patents have recently expired, leading to several manufacturers now producing a polymer where a few years ago there was only one supplier. Whilst such competition has led in some cases to overcapacity, it has also led to the introduction of new improved variants and materials more able to compete with older established plastics materials. 

Journal articles and patents contain virtually all of the original work in organic chemistry. However, if this were all, if there were no indexes, abstracts, review articles, and other secondary sources, the literature would be unusable because it is so vast that no one could hope to find anything in particular. Fortunately, the secondary sources are excellent. There are various kinds and the categories tend to merge. Our classification is somewhat arbitrary. 

Finally, the category external factors consists of three parts - raw material availability, susceptibility to regulatory changes and patent protection - for which points are awarded, up to a maximum of 14 for a high VVF product. 

Electronic Materials. Applications of photopolymer technology to electronic products is probably one of the largest imaging categories in terms of sales and total number of patents and publications. A wide variety of products have been developed for the production of printed wiring boards (PWB) and the manufacture of integrated circuits (IC). 

Composition measurement, 77 785 Composition of matter category, in patents, 78 165-166... 

Design category, in patents, 18 166 Design codes, for tanks, 24 303 Design deficiencies, as a cause of tank spills and leaks, 24 309... 

Machine category, in patents, 28 166 Machine components, case hardening, 26 196... 

Patent medicine industry, 78 683 Patent office gazettes, printed, 78 210-211 Patent portfolio auditing, 78 185 compiling, 78 157 Patent protection, foreign, 78 191 Patent research, in fine chemical research and development, 77 425-426 Patents, 5 766 78 157-197. See also Foreign patents Invention Patentability Trade secrets article of manufacture category in, 78 166... 

Because of its versatility and simplicity, one of the most widely used vacuum filters is the rotary drum filter and a filter of this type was patented in England in 1872 by William and James Hart. The basic design varies with different manufacturers, although essentially all drum type vacuum filters may be divided into two categories ... 

In a follow-on study, Silberston categorized three groups of industries for when patents are essential, very important or less important on the basis of both survey responses and objective analyses (patent and R D intensity). He concluded that, "The first category consists of one industry only, pharmaceuticals." Edwin Mansfield surveyed the R D director of 100 U.S. corporations on what fraction of the inventions they introduce, between 1981 and 1983 would not have been developed without patent protection. For pharmaceuticals, the value was 60%, while the average across all industries was 14%. ... 

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