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We dare you to try the real thing! |
Have you ever gotten a cool toy or seen an interesting gadget and wondered how it was made or who created it? When someone invents a new toy or gadget, they usually get a patent for it. A patent is a way that inventors can protect their ideas. Would you like to see a real patent? You can! Finding patents is almost like being a detective. |
| Searching by Patent Number |
This is the easiest way to find out about an invention! |
| Searching by Inventor's Name |
This sometimes requires a little detective work, but you can do it! |
| Searching using Words |
This is the most challenging (and fun!) way to look for inventions! |
| I need Help with my Search! |
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1. Find the patent number and write it down. HINT: The patent number may be found on the object, the box it came in, or in its instruction manual. You will know it is a patent number because it will look something like this: U.S. 5,470,270. Some patents may have letters in front of them. 2. When you click on Junior Detective Search, you will go to a page like the one below:
3. When you have entered the patent number, click on 4. You will get a "Results" page with the patent number listed (like the example below!). Click on the patent number or title to link to the patent. 5. The next page will display information about the patent.
To go straight to the patent itself (the cool part), click on the button
marked Do a Junior Detective Search NOW! Can't find a patent number? Try looking for these: 2,026,082 5,498,162 4,490,419 D11,023 D265,332 5,865,438 5,096,424 4,367,243 4,148,410 |
Master Detective  |
1. If you are interested in an inventor, you can look for patents using the inventor's name. You will need the inventor's first and last name. For example, you might want to see if George Lucas is an inventor. 2. You will have to write the inventor's name in a way that the search engine will understand your request. Look at how you would look for George Lucas' name:
3. When you click on Master Detective Search, you will go to a page like the one below:
4. When you have typed in the inventor's name and changed "Select
Year" to All years, click on 5. You will get a "Results" page with patent numbers and titles listed (like the example below!). Click on the patent number or title you're interested in!
6. The next page will display information about the patent. To go
straight to the patent itself (the cool part), click on the button
marked Do a Master Detective Search NOW! |
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Super Detective! |
1. Think of all the words that you can use to describe the
article. Try to think of words that uniquely describe it. This is the
most challenging part! You can think of one word, two words or more
to describe the article.
2. When you click on Super Detective Search, you will go to a page like the one below. In this example, the super detective is looking for patents that have the word "puzzles" (1 word): 3. When you have typed in the word and changed "Select Year" to All
years, click on 4. You will get a "Results" page with patent numbers and titles listed (like the example below!). Click on the patent number or title you're interested in!
5. The next page will display information about the patent.
To go straight to the patent itself (the cool part), click on the button
marked Do a Super Detective Search NOW! |
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Super Sleuth! |
So you think you can search for words? Are you up to being a Super Sleuth? Click here if you want to search for two words (both words must be in the patents)! Click here if you want to search for one word or another word Click here if you want to search for a phrase (for example, "super soaker" or "ice cream")! |
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Super Sleuth 1 (two words) |
1. Think of all the words that you can use to describe the article. Pick two words that both must be in the patent. 2. When you click on Super Detective Search, you will go to a page like the one below. In this example, the super detective is looking for patents that have both the words "baby" AND "dolls" (2 words):
If you would be happy with one OR the other word ("baby" OR "dolls"), you would change the AND box to OR! 3. When you have typed in the 2 words and changed "Select
Year" to All years, click on 4. You will get a "Results" page with patent numbers and titles listed (like the example below!). Click on the patent number or title you're interested in!
5. The next page will display information about the patent. To go
straight to the patent itself (the cool part), click on the button
marked |
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(one or another word) |
1. Think of all the words that you can use to describe the article. One or both of the words can appear in the patent. 2. When you click on Super Detective Search, you will go to a page like the one below. In this example, the super detective is looking for patents that have either or both words "toys" OR "dolls" (1 or both words): 3. When you have typed in the 2 words, changed "AND" to OR,
and "Select Year" to All years, click on 4. You will get a "Results" page with patent numbers and titles listed (like the example below!). Click on the patent number or title you're interested in!
5. The next page will display information about the patent.
To go straight to the patent itself (the cool part), click on the button
marked |
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(A "phrase") |
1. Think of 2 or more words that go "together" to describe the article (like "ice cream" or "jigsaw puzzle"). Words that go together are called phrases. 2. When you click on Super Detective Search, you will go to a page like the one below. In this example, the super detective is looking for patents that have the phrase "super soaker" (note how the words go together).
3. When you have typed in the phrase (don't forget the
quotes!) and changed "Select Year" to All years, click
on 4. You will get a "Results" page with patent numbers and titles listed (like the example below!). Click on the patent number or title you're interested in!
5. The next page will display information about the patent.
To go straight to the patent itself (the cool part), click on the button
marked |
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Super Sleuth 4 |
1. Think of 2 or more words that go "together" (like "ice cream" or "jigsaw puzzle") and another word that describe the article. 2. When you click on Super Detective Search, you will go to a page like the one below. In this example, the super detective is looking for patents that have the phrase "star wars" AND toy.
3. When you have typed in the phrase (don't forget the
quotes!) and changed "Select Year" to All years, click
on 4. You will get a "Results" page with patent numbers and titles listed (like the example below!). Click on the patent number or title you're interested in!
5. The next page will display information about the patent.
To go straight to the patent itself (the cool part), click on the button
marked |
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My patent number didn't work. Did you type the number in correctly? Remember that there is a key for zero and the letter "O." If the patent began with a letter, make sure there was no space between the letter and the numbers. If the number is okay but the page says that no text is available, you may have an old patent number (the patent was issued before 1976). The text patents only go back as far as 1976 and you will need to have special software to see any of the pictures of patents. I couldn't find my inventor. Did you type in the name exactly like the example? Did you spell the inventor's name correctly? Did you set the "Select Years" to all years? Inventors who invented things before 1976 will not show up in the database, so if you looked for Thomas Edison, you would not find him! Sometimes inventor names are misspelled on the patent, so if even if you spelled the name correctly, the search engine can't find it! Not every invention gets patented. Sometimes inventors do not apply for patents for their inventions and other times an "invention" may not be different enough from earlier patented or published inventions to deserve the granting of a patent. I got strange patents for the words I used in my search. This is what your teacher means when she says that words can have many meanings! Words that we think describe only one article can be used to describe other things. For example, we may think of "jigsaw puzzle" as a game, but it can be used to describe Biotechnological or even Mechanical inventions! I got a lot of patents (more than I wanted!). If you look for the word toys, you will get patents that are children toys, dog toys, cat toys, and even ferret toys! Even very technical devices may be described as toys. I didn't find any patents!
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