CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES

Description

Class C04 covers the chemistry and manufacturing of inorganic binder materials, composite stone products, and high-temperature materials. It encompasses portland cements, calcium aluminates, concrete compositions and their reinforcement, artificial stone aggregates, ceramic bodies and glazes, and refractory materials used in furnaces and kilns. This broad class includes formulation methods, processing techniques, and quality control of these materials across construction, industrial, and thermal applications.

Filing statistics

CPC C04 recorded 228,252 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 1 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 10,861 in 2013 to 20,066 in 2023 (+85%), peaking at 27,356 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class C04 are HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES GROUP (2,158 applications), CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (1,569 applications) and NGK INSULATORS (1,504 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings