PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR

Description

C25D covers electroplating, electroless plating, and electrophoretic deposition processes used to apply protective or decorative metallic and non-metallic coatings onto substrates. It also encompasses electroforming techniques for creating metal parts by electrodeposition and electrolytic joining methods for assembling workpieces. This subclass includes apparatus designs, process parameters, and electrolyte formulations specific to these coating and forming operations, distinguishing it from general electrochemical processes (C25A) and electrorefining or electrowinning operations (C25C).

Filing statistics

CPC subclass C25D recorded 66,035 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 4,313 in 2013 to 5,873 in 2023 (+36%), peaking at 7,202 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class C25 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (1,393 applications), JFE STEEL (914 applications) and EBARA CORPORATION (738 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings