Patent literature as a source of information for research and development: An investigation on calcium phosphate‐containing biomaterials, Part II

Abstract

AbstractAfter the first approach to patent literature in a scientific library (Part I), we have completed the patent retrieval on the mentioned subject with the facilities of patent collections. This work describes the various methods: the direct access to original documents with classification codes, the consultation of the secondary literature of official gazettes and private services, and the use of indexes. The application of all these methods concerning calcium phosphate‐containing biomaterials is presented and discussed. The retrieval resulted in 363 applications during the period 1975–1985 and 134 in 1986. Forty‐nine percent and 63%, respectively, of these applications were basic patents, the rest were equivalents. The technical information which 80% of all these documents contain has already been indexed in Chemical Abstracts. The remaining documents are only available in patent collections. They deal with more technical problems and concentrate in specific IPC groups. Because of the language barrier, the access to Japanese patents is often only possible by means of equivalent patents applied in the United States, Great Britain, the Federal Republik of Germany or international authorities (EPO, WIPO). These are filed up in patent collections.