BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER

Description

Class B42 covers mechanical and manual processes for binding books and related document assemblies, including techniques for collating, folding, and securing sheets or signatures. It encompasses the manufacture of albums, filing systems, and bound documents, as well as specialized printed materials with particular structural or functional requirements. The classification includes equipment, machines, and methods for producing finished bound products, but excludes the underlying printing processes themselves (covered under B41) and general paper or material processing operations. Adjacent classes address paper manufacturing, printing technology, and unrelated document handling or storage systems.

Filing statistics

CPC B42 recorded 36,330 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 5 subclasses. Annual filings declined from 3,904 in 2013 to 1,683 in 2023 (-57%), peaking at 4,274 applications in 2016. The most active applicants in class B42 are SICPA HOLDING (1,317 applications), GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY (949 applications) and BUNDESDRUCKEREI (881 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings