BAKERS' OVENS; MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR BAKING (domestic baking equipment A47J37/00)

Description

Subclass A21B encompasses bakers' ovens and mechanical equipment used in the baking process, including oven design, heating systems, and loading/unloading mechanisms. It covers equipment for industrial and commercial baking operations, such as tunnel ovens, batch ovens, and auxiliary machinery for dough handling during baking. This subclass excludes dough preparation and processing equipment (covered under A21C) and food preparation devices outside the baking context, focusing specifically on the thermal treatment and mechanical handling of dough and batter in baking applications.

Filing statistics

CPC subclass A21B recorded 7,846 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 629 in 2013 to 509 in 2023 (-19%), peaking at 1,057 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class A21 are GENERAL MILLS (346 applications), HAAS FOOD EQUIPMENT (330 applications) and NESTEC (235 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings