A01J MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS
Description
A01J encompasses methods, apparatus, and systems for processing milk and producing dairy products including cheese, butter, yogurt, and other fermented or processed milk-based foods. The classification covers milk handling equipment such as separators, pasteurizers, homogenizers, and churns, as well as techniques for curd formation, fermentation, and product finishing. This subclass excludes general food processing machinery (covered under A23) and focuses specifically on dairy-specific manufacturing processes and equipment used from raw milk collection through final product packaging.
Filing statistics
CPC subclass A01J recorded 4,776 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 463 in 2013 to 252 in 2023 (-46%), peaking at 583 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class A01 are JOHN DEERE (6,949 applications), MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY (6,297 applications) and DOW AGROSCIENCES (5,458 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
15 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- A01J 1/00 Devices or accessories for milking by hand (milking stools A47C9/04)
- A01J 11/00 Apparatus for treating milk (preservation of milk or milk preparations A23B11/10; dairy concentration, evaporation or drying A23C1/00)
- A01J 13/00 Tanks for treating cream
- A01J 15/00 Manufacturing butter
- A01J 17/00 Kneading machines for butter, or the like
- A01J 19/00 Hand devices for forming slabs of butter, or the like
- A01J 21/00 Machines for forming slabs of butter, or the like
- A01J 23/00 Devices for dividing bulk butter, or the like
- A01J 25/00 Cheese-making (coating the cheese A01J27/02)
- A01J 27/00 After-treatment of cheese; Coating of cheese
- A01J 3/00 Milking with catheters
- A01J 5/00 Milking machines or devices (A01J1/00, A01J3/00 take precedence)
- A01J 7/00 Accessories for milking machines or devices
- A01J 9/00 Milk receptacles
- A01J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class A01, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- JOHN DEERE US 6,949
- MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY US 6,297
- DOW AGROSCIENCES US 5,458
- BASF (BADISCHE ANILIN & SODA FABRIK) DE 5,296
- BAYER CROPSCIENCE DE 4,654
- PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL US 4,631
- SYNGENTA PARTICIPATIONS CH 4,410
- CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA US 4,128
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 3,805
- BAYER DE 3,607