Engineers who patent: Data from a recent survey of American bench engineers

Abstract

A study of engineers working in a variety of job activities in U.S. industry reveals a low rate patent activity. Analysis of data on the 10% of the engineers who have received patents also suggests variation in patent activity by sized Engineers in medium sized firms generate the most inventions and more inventions come from the electrical, machinery and metals industries. Study data on information transfer indicates that engineers are not using patents as a source of information.