F21S NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
Description
F21S covers stationary and fixed lighting apparatus designed for permanent or semi-permanent installation, including architectural, industrial, and domestic lighting fixtures, as well as specialized lighting systems for vehicle exteriors such as headlights, taillights, and signal lamps. This subclass encompasses the mechanical design, optical elements, heat dissipation, mounting structures, and control systems specific to these non-portable applications. Vehicle lighting devices classified here are those adapted to the exterior of vehicles, while portable or handheld lighting devices fall under related classes. The scope includes both traditional lamp-based systems and modern light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures designed for these fixed-installation contexts.
Filing statistics
CPC subclass F21S recorded 130,730 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 8,623 in 2013 to 7,194 in 2023 (-17%), peaking at 16,655 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class F21 are VALEO VISION (2,820 applications), SIGNIFY HOLDING (2,374 applications) and KOITO MANUFACTURING COMPANY (1,890 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
15 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open
- F21S 10/00 Lighting devices or systems producing a varying lighting effect
- F21S 11/00 Non-electric lighting devices or systems using daylight
- F21S 13/00 Non-electric lighting devices or systems employing a point-like light source; Non-electric lighting devices or systems employing a light source of unspecified shape
- F21S 15/00 Non-electric lighting devices or systems employing light sources not covered by main groups F21S11/00, F21S13/00 or F21S19/00
- F21S 19/00 Lighting devices or systems employing combinations of electric and non-electric light sources; Replacing or exchanging electric light sources with non-electric light sources or vice versa
- F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
- F21S 2217/00 Details
- F21S 2243/00 Manufacturing details of signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors
- F21S 4/00 Lighting devices or systems using a string or strip of light sources
- F21S 41/00 Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps (reversing lights F21S43/00)
- F21S 43/00 Signalling devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. brake lamps, direction indicator lights or reversing lights
- F21S 45/00 Arrangements within vehicle lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, for purposes other than emission or distribution of light
- F21S 6/00 Lighting devices intended to be free-standing (F21S9/00, F21S10/00, take precedence )
- F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation (F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00)
- F21S 9/00 Lighting devices with a built-in power supply; Systems employing lighting devices with a built-in power supply
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class F21, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- VALEO VISION FR 2,820
- SIGNIFY HOLDING NL 2,374
- KOITO MANUFACTURING COMPANY JP 1,890
- KOITO MANUFACTURING COMPANY 1,722
- LG INNOTEK COMPANY KR 1,624
- OSRAM DE 1,507
- LG ELECTRONICS KR 1,458
- PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY JP 1,433
- ZUMTOBEL LIGHTING AT 1,349
- PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 1,275