Darksider's patent search

[sumu]

Hello,

When looking for technical solutions and details for homemade projects, the Google Patent Search is quite a source for this.

These are search results for hand plane, returning patents issued between January 1776 and January 1930. For such people who see this timeline returning too novel technology, they may narrow down this search .

http://www.google.com/patents?lr=&q=...s_maxy_is=1930

Considering patents in general, for research purposes one can privately experiment with anything directly based on technical details and descriptions found in patent text. Commercialization is then something completely different, of course.

I sometimes look at these documents, and there can be seen some interesting things in for example how Stanley developed their woodworking products. If there is needed some repair advice for an exotic device, there is sometimes very precisely announced what kind of thread there is in this and that particulal bolt.

These old patents are one of the greatest technical repositories for any Darksider. Let's say the words hand drill will return quite interesting things, too.

Check it out, mates .

sumu

[joe greiner]

Interesting source. Especially the downloadable pdf's all in one file. And also the ability to narrow the date field. I've been using uspto directly for many years:

http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html

Here, you can specify individual search fields (Title, Inventor's name, Assignee name, Current classification, etc.) or anyplace in the text. For patents before 1976, only the patent number and the classification can be searched; and to view the "images" you need a viewer. Uspto has guidance for this. (I use free Alternatiff.) The same text page is brought up by Google's "View patent" button. Uspto's images must be printed or downloaded one page at a time. (Unless they've changed something recently.)

As you indicate, in most jurisdictions, "private use" for "non-commercial" purposes is a valid defense against an infringement action, and commercial use requires a license from the inventor or assignee. Patents older than about 20 years have generally expired, and any use is usually fair game; I think this applies even if the older technology is incorporated in a newer patent.

I've found it useful to identify mystery tools from garage sales, if the patent number is present; also as an aid to repairs, although often slight design changes are made between the patent and final production design.

Thanks for posting this.

Joe

[sumu]

Hey Joe

I've been using uspto directly for many years

So have I, and also the service called the Espacenet http://ep.espacenet.com/ , provided by the European Patent Office. There are those European national patents, and also WO-patents. Their servers are quite often under high traffic, so it might be a bit slow, time to time.

As you indicate, in most jurisdictions, "private use" for "non-commercial" purposes is a valid defense against an infringement action, and commercial use requires a license from the inventor or assignee. Patents older than about 20 years have generally expired, and any use is usually fair game; I think this applies even if the older technology is incorporated in a newer patent.

Internationally, there is no legal obstacles to exploit some or all patent contents for private experimental purposes, no matter what is the current status of the patent in question. It has to be legally allowed, too, because if there is a case where someone has patented things resembling your things, you have to be allowed to check it out, to make counter-arguments and/or call in question these opposing contents. One of the most elegant skills here is how to say enough to avoid dangerous obscurity in patent contents and still not revealing too much. Some people are just really good at this.

There may be differences in jurisdictional interpretations in such case if someone "donates" the result of exploitation to someone third person. I am not a lawyer either, just sometimes I have heard some kind of arguments considering such cases.

Kippis,

sumu

[joe greiner]

Righto, sumu. In fact, the requirement for the specifications is to have enough detail that the device can be duplicated by one "skilled in the art." And I don't think one would get away with too narrow a definition of the "art" either. Recent US patents have suffered from a perhaps too generous acceptance of novelty, owing to manpower and skill shortages mostly. There are movements afoot to remedy this by legislation, but don't hold your breath.

All things considered, I'm not sure patent protection is so great except for truly unique developments. Getting the jump on the competition, with enlightened production processes and marketing, may be the better go. In any event, at my age, I'm not too keen on setting up a new business. I don't need to goose my resume, and don't much care about my obituary.

Joe

[R.B.]

thanks for the tip Sumu!

Loving the pictures.. just wish the quality was better.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=SXd...s=1930#PPP1,M1

[sumu]

I just recently heard that some guys have printed some of those patent pics on T-shirts, and some poster graphics printed on fine art canvas are on the way. Kinda Cool! .

sumu