F04 POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
Description
Class F04 encompasses positive-displacement pumps and machines that transport or compress liquids and elastic fluids (gases) through mechanical action. This includes reciprocating pumps (piston and diaphragm types), rotary pumps (gear, screw, vane, and lobe pumps), and jet pumps, as well as motors and actuators powered by fluid pressure. The class covers both the machine designs themselves and their functional applications in fluid handling systems, excluding general fluid distribution systems or mere conduit components covered elsewhere in the mechanical engineering hierarchy.
Filing statistics
CPC F04 recorded 287,073 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 4 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 23,100 in 2013 to 23,086 in 2023 (+0%), peaking at 30,437 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class F04 are LG ELECTRONICS (3,855 applications), ROBERT BOSCH (3,549 applications) and GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES (2,273 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
4 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- F04B POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- F04C ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS (engines F03C); ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F04F PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED ; SIPHONS
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- LG ELECTRONICS KR 3,855
- ROBERT BOSCH DE 3,549
- GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES 2,273
- GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 2,126
- MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION JP 1,881
- UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (UTC) US 1,866
- SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES FR 1,499
- MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES JP 1,258
- TOYOTA INDUSTRIES CORPORATION JP 1,247
- ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER BE 1,168