SciTech: Patents, Standards, Encyclopedias & Databases

A patent is an exclusive right to commercially exploit a technical invention. In practice, this means that if you own a patent, you have the right to prevent others from commercializing the invention. This means, for example, that others cannot produce and sell the invention without first agreeing with you. Patents can be maintained for up to 20 years from the date the patent application is filed with the Patent Office. If you have been granted a patent in Denmark, your right is only valid in Denmark, so if you want a patent in other countries, you must also apply to those countries. When a patent expires, anyone can commercially exploit the invention.

What is required to obtain a patent?

An invention must meet three criteria to be eligible for patent protection:

• The invention must be capable of industrial application.
• The invention must be new in relation to what is already known - i.e. it must have novelty value.
• The invention must be significantly different from what is already known - i.e. it must have an inventive step.

Prior art is anything that is in the public domain at the time the patent application is first filed with a patent office. This means, for example, that the invention must not have been published anywhere in the world in any form. For example, the invention must not have been the subject of an exhibition, a lecture, a newspaper article, a textbook, or the like.

There are some things that the European Authority does not consider to be invented, such as the following:

And then there are the things that the authorities are simply of the opinion that you shouldn't be able to have a patent on:

Most Western countries have made their patent collections available online.

Patents can be found by searching in national databases or in Esp@cenet, a large, free common interface. Esp@cenet contains 120 million patents from around the world. Help is available in the base in the form of info material, tutorials and more.

Hommel Handbuch der gefährlichen Güter

The 10-volume series provides comprehensive guidance on the management of dangerous goods, with emphasis on risk prevention and appropriate response policies following traffic and industrial accidents.

The Globally Harmonised System of Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals (GHS) is incorporated, and all hazardous products contained in Hommel are included: signal words, pictograms as well as the new hazard statements (H-statements) and safety instructions (P-statements). In addition, the hazard diamond.

VDI Heat Atlas

Springer VDI Heat Atlas is the reference book on heat transfer. The book enables the calculation of heat transfer in technical equipment for the process industry, thermal power engineering and related topics, making it a powerful tool for design purposes.  It also covers most areas of heat transfer in industrial and engineering applications, showing the links between basic scientific methods, experimental techniques, model-based analysis and transfer to engineering applications.

U-værdi 

VarmeIsoleringsForeningen (VIF) is the publisher of the U-Værdi tables, which cover a wide range of topics including lambda values, thermal insulation, heat loss calculations and dew points in walls, as well as insulation for coatings and claddings, point cold bridges, ground slabs and basement floors, and much more. (E-access is available)

Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry

'ULLMANN's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry' is a primary reference in chemistry and bioprocessing, covering inorganic and organic chemicals, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, polymers and plastics, metals and alloys, biotechnology and biotechnology products, food chemistry, process technology and unit operations, analytical methods, environmental protection and much more.

The book provides comprehensive coverage of science and technology in all areas of industrial chemistry.

The 40-volume set, including an index volume, comprises over 1,000 primary articles, contributed by approximately 3,000 leading experts in the field, meticulously organised in alphabetical order.

To enhance accessibility, the online edition is also available.

Standards facilitate international trade in goods and services. When a product complies with a standard, it can almost always be traded freely in other EU countries. This eliminates the need for the product to undergo a series of time-consuming and costly national controls.

Standards frequently delineate essential components of products or processes. These may include procedures, specifications or technical terms.

Consequently, standards represent a substantial compendium of technical literature.

You may borrow and download many standards.

Anyone can borrow any of our printed standards. You can borrow them for a month at a time and you can renew the loan if you need more time.

Please note that many standards, regardless of format, cannot be searched individually in the catalogue, as only a few are registered. Instead, use one of the search options on the website

You can request a specific standard using the request form

However - if you are a student or teacher at SDU, you may also download as many Danish standards as you want.  (you must be registered as a library patron)

DS / Danish Standards - full text access to all Danish Standards, +preview to many international standards (Access only for staff and students at SDU) 

Note: Only use the access option: "Access via educational institution" In the drop-down menu, select SDU.

What about Non-Danish standards? EN, ETS, IEC, ISO and VDE

Many Danish standards are in full alignment with European and international standards, such as EN or ISO.

The library holds all EN standards, as well as the ISO and IEC standards that are recognised.

Additionally, the library boasts an extensive collection of printed German DIN standards, encompassing all applicable DIN standards up to approximately 1996, along with ISO, EN, IEC, ETS and VDE standards that are recognised as German DIN standards.

Additionally, we possess a limited selection of IEC standards (International Electrotechnical Commission).

Other standards, primarily American, are purchased separately.