A61B DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
Introduced: September 1968
Description
Subclass A61B covers medical and surgical diagnostic and therapeutic devices, instruments, and methods used for examining patients, performing surgical procedures, and identifying medical conditions or individuals. This encompasses a broad range of technologies including diagnostic imaging equipment, surgical instruments, monitoring apparatus, therapeutic devices, and identification systems such as medical imaging (ultrasound, endoscopy), surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and biometric identification for medical purposes. The subclass excludes pharmaceutical compositions and medicinal preparations (covered under A61K) and general physical examination or massage devices without diagnostic intent (covered under A61H).
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
CPC: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
Additional Content IPC
Veterinary instruments, implements, tools or methods specially adapted so as to limit their usefulness to only animals
Of 24 combined children, 17 exist in both systems.
7 codes are CPC-only extensions.
Note: 7 CPC extensions are marked as secondary classification only.
10 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- A61B 1/00 Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes (examination of body cavities or body tracts using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/12; endoscopic instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/04); Illuminating arrangements therefor (for the eyes A61B3/00) +7 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 10/00 Instruments for taking body samples for diagnostic purposes (for taking samples of blood A61B5/15); Other methods or instruments for diagnosis, e.g. for vaccination diagnosis, sex determination or ovulation-period determination; Throat striking implements +10 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 13/00 Instruments for depressing the tongue (combined with illuminating and viewing instruments A61B1/24; combined with saliva removers A61C17/10) IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods (A61B18/00 takes precedence; dental tools A61C3/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/20) +19 CPC −2 IPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body (eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00) since 2000 +10 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 2218/00 Details of surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body 2nd only +1 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61B 2503/00 Evaluating a particular growth phase or type of persons or animals 2nd only +9 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61B 2505/00 Evaluating, monitoring or diagnosing in the context of a particular type of medical care 2nd only +5 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61B 2560/00 Constructional details of operational features of apparatus; Accessories for medical measuring apparatus 2nd only +3 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61B 2562/00 Details of sensors; Constructional details of sensor housings or probes; Accessories for sensors 2nd only +10 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis (A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence) 2nd only +1 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61B 3/00 Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes (eye inspection using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/10) +5 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 34/00 Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery since 2016 +2 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 42/00 Surgical gloves; Finger-stalls specially adapted for surgery; Devices for handling or treatment thereof since 2016 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes (radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00); Identification of persons +17 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 50/00 Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers (drapes specially adapted for instruments A61B46/10) since 2016 +3 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment (instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161) +5 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Class A61,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NL 18,523
- NOVARTIS CH 14,253
- COVIDIEN US 13,953
- ROCHE CH 12,005
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 11,955
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 11,692
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 11,596
- L'OREAL FR 11,593
- P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 11,297
- OLYMPUS CORPORATION JP 9,594
Top Applicants (CPC)
Class A61,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NL 20,621
- NOVARTIS CH 15,792
- ROCHE CH 14,303
- COVIDIEN US 13,862
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 13,454
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 12,798
- P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 12,140
- L'OREAL FR 11,800
- OLYMPUS CORPORATION JP 9,894
- BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED US 9,513