F04F PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED ; SIPHONS
Description
F04F covers fluid pumping mechanisms that operate without conventional rotating impellers or reciprocating pistons. This subclass encompasses jet pumps (eductor pumps) where a high-velocity motive fluid entrains and accelerates the fluid being pumped, ram pumps and hydraulic rams that exploit fluid inertia for intermittent delivery, and siphon systems that utilize gravity and atmospheric pressure differentials. Also included are airlift pumps that use injected gas bubbles to reduce fluid density in a column, enabling upward flow. These technologies are distinct from traditional positive-displacement and centrifugal pump designs, finding application in low-speed transfer, priming operations, and environments where mechanical moving parts are impractical or undesired.
8 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- F04F 1/00 Pumps using positively or negatively pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped (using only negative pressure F04F3/00; jet pumps F04F5/00; siphons F04F10/00)
- F04F 10/00 Siphons
- F04F 13/00 Pressure exchangers
- F04F 3/00 Pumps using negative pressure acting directly on the liquid to be pumped (siphons F04F10/00)
- F04F 5/00 Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow (diffusion pumps F04F9/00; combination of jet pumps with pumps of other than jet type F04B; use of jet pumps for priming or boosting non-positive-displacement pumps F04D)
- F04F 7/00 Pumps displacing fluids by using inertia thereof, e.g. by generating vibrations therein
- F04F 9/00 Diffusion pumps
- F04F 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class F04, 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