INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G

Description

F05B serves as an indexing tool for patents involving alternative and fluid-based power sources, including wind motors, spring-driven mechanisms, weight-powered systems, and inertia-based motors, as well as hydraulic and pneumatic machines covered under F03B, F03D, and F03G. This subclass does not itself classify inventions but provides cross-referencing guidance to help locate patents related to non-conventional prime movers and liquid/gas-driven machinery across the broader mechanical engineering classification system. It functions as a navigational aid for examiners and searchers working with distributed patents that involve renewable or mechanical energy conversion technologies spanning multiple primary subclasses.

Filing statistics

CPC subclass F05B recorded 70,983 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 6,200 in 2013 to 4,349 in 2023 (-30%), peaking at 7,467 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