A61F FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
Introduced: September 1968
Description
A61F covers a broad range of medical devices and supplies used for therapeutic intervention, structural support, and protective care. This includes vascular implants such as stents and blood vessel filters, prosthetic limbs and organs, devices that maintain or restore patency in the body's tubular structures, orthopaedic supports and fixation systems, contraceptive devices, and ophthalmic/otological treatments. The subclass also encompasses wound management products including bandages, dressings, absorbent pads, fomentation devices (heat/moisture therapy), nursing aids, and first-aid kits. These technologies span both implantable and external applications across cardiovascular, orthopedic, ophthalmic, and general wound-care fields.
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
CPC: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
Additional Content IPC
Glossary
Absorbent articles Articles adapted to absorb liquid excreted by the body. Dilator Dilators A (surgical) device or instrument used to dilate, distend, enlarge, expand, stretch an opening, organ, passage, tube, canal or cavity of a human or animal body (e.g. urethrotomy, tracheotomy, nasal, anal or cervix (Hegar's dilator) or vaginal dilation, bougienage, percutaneous dilation of tissues (Byrd dilator), whereas stents are not dilators but prostheses for providing patency, or preventing collapsing of tubular structures of the body. Disabled person disabled persons A human being that is unable to do certain basic physical tasks (e.g. walking) due to a physical or mental impairment/condition. Patient patients A human being awaiting or undergoing any form of (a) medical care (e.g. testing) or treatment by medical staff (e.g. doctors, dentists, midwives, chiropractors), or (b) physical tending (e.g. feeding) by care giver (e.g. hospice or nursing home staff) due to impairment. Stent Stents Balloon- or self-expandable tubular device for use in the treatment of duct-like organs typified for example by a blood vessel, biliary tract, urinary tract, digestive tract, and the like providing patency. Stent graft Stent with a tubular member made of a synthetic resin affixed to the inside or outside of the stent.
Limiting references
Brassieres Cosmetic articles, e.g. wigs, hair pieces Caps with means for protecting the eyes or the ears Ordinary arch supports for shoes Artificial nails Heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses Surgical instruments Devices for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed Dental prostheses Chiropractic methods or devices Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk Massage of the genitals Chemical aspects of contraception Chemical aspects of, or use of materials for, bandages, dressings or absorbent pads , Adhesives for costolomy devices Surgical adhesives or cements Materials for prostheses Materials for costolomy devices Artificial hearts, kidneys Irrigators Drainage appliances for wounds Dilators Valves specially adapted for medical use Making artificial eyes from organic plastic material , Arm rests for use as writing aids Arrangements of tyre-inflating valves to tyres or rims Safety devices for welding in general Removable contact lenses Sunglasses or goggles having the same features as spectacles Electric heating elements
Of 17 combined children, 11 exist in both systems.
6 codes are CPC-only extensions.
Note: 6 CPC extensions are marked as secondary classification only.
6 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- A61F 11/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense (implantable prostheses that substitute or replace internal ear parts, e.g. ear-drums, A61F2/18; methods or devices to cause a change in the state of auditory consciousness A61M21/00; electrotherapy applying electrical stimulation of the auditory system, or circuits therefor A61N1/36; radiotherapy using optical stimulation of the auditory system A61N5/06; electro-acoustic hearing aids H04R25/00); Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand (headwear, e.g. caps or helmets, with means for protecting the ears A42B1/0188, A42B3/16) +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 13/00 Bandages or dressings (radioactive dressings ); Absorbent pads +4 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 15/00 Auxiliary appliances for wound dressings; Dispensing containers for dressings or bandages +6 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 2/00 Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents (dental prostheses A61C13/00; artificial kidneys A61M1/14; artificial hearts A61M60/00) since 1985 +5 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 2210/00 Particular material properties of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof 2nd only +12 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61F 2220/00 Fixations or connections for prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof 2nd only +2 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61F 2230/00 Geometry of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof 2nd only +2 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61F 2240/00 Manufacturing or designing of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof 2nd only +1 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61F 2250/00 Special features of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof 2nd only +5 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61F 2310/00 Prostheses classified in A61F2/28 or A61F2/30 - A61F2/44 being constructed from or coated with a particular material 2nd only +2 CPC CPC only CPC only
- A61F 4/00 Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body since 1985 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 5/00 Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices (bandages, dressings or absorbent pads A61F13/00) +3 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 6/00 Contraceptive devices; Pessaries; Applicators therefor since 1990 +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body (hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N) +17 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- A61F 9/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the eyes; Devices for putting in contact-lenses; Devices to correct squinting; Apparatus to guide the blind; Protective devices for the eyes, carried on the body or in the hand (caps with means for protecting the eyes A42B1/0181; visors for helmets A42B3/22; eye baths A61H35/02; sunglasses or goggles having the same features as spectacles G02C) +3 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