INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04

Description

F05 serves as an indexing and cross-referencing scheme for engines and pumps technologies distributed across the foundational mechanical engineering classes F01 through F04. This classification does not itself contain substantive technical subject matter but rather provides systematic organization and navigational pathways to locate related engine and pump inventions that may be classified under multiple parent classes. It facilitates patent search and retrieval by creating logical connections between internal combustion engines, hydraulic/pneumatic machines, and other power generation or fluid handling technologies that would otherwise be scattered across different class hierarchies. Patent professionals use F05 indexing tools to identify all relevant prior art and related technologies when conducting comprehensive searches in the mechanical power systems domain.

Filing statistics

CPC F05 recorded 204,790 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 3 subclasses. Annual filings declined from 18,497 in 2013 to 12,339 in 2023 (-33%), peaking at 21,521 applications in 2017. The most active applicants in class F05 are GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) (12,002 applications), UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (UTC) (8,736 applications) and SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES (6,804 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings