B04B CENTRIFUGES (high-speed drum mills B02C19/11; domestic spin driers D06F; analysing, measuring or monitoring physical or chemical properties of samples during centrifuging, see the relevant subclasses for these procedures, e.g. G01N)
Introduced: September 1968
Description
B04B covers centrifuge machines and apparatus designed to separate substances or materials using centrifugal force. This subclass encompasses various centrifuge types including laboratory, industrial, and continuous-operation models used for solid-liquid separation, liquid-liquid separation, and particle classification across chemical, pharmaceutical, food processing, and environmental applications. Related mechanical components such as rotors, bowls, baskets, and drive systems integral to centrifuge operation are included within this classification. Adjacent classes B04C (auxiliary equipment for centrifuges) and broader class B04 (centrifugal apparatus for physical/chemical processes) provide complementary coverage for supporting equipment and non-centrifuge centrifugal machines.
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: CENTRIFUGES
CPC: CENTRIFUGES (high-speed drum mills B02C19/11; domestic spin driers D06F; analysing, measuring or monitoring physical or chemical properties of samples during centrifuging, see the relevant subclasses for these procedures, e.g. G01N)
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
CENTRIFUGES
CENTRIFUGES (high-speed drum mills B02C19/11; domestic spin driers D06F; analysing, measuring or monitoring physical or chemical properties of samples during centrifuging, see the relevant subclasses for these procedures, e.g. G01N)
Additional Content IPC
Glossary
Centrifuge Centrifuges Machine or apparatus for separating, mixing, drying, extracting, purifying, or like treating in which centrifugal effects are generated by rotary bowls or other rotors. Where such a machine or apparatus involves pumping effects, such effects must be incidental or subsidiary to the treating.
Limiting references
High-speed drum mills Cyclone separators
Application references
Centrifuges for producing filtered coffee Dental appliances for receiving spittle, with or without rinsing means therefore, e.g. dental basins, spittoons or cuspidors Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes, other treatment of blood in a by-pass of the natural circulatory system Processes for separation of non-miscible liquids by centrifugal force Processes for using centrifuges for separating sediment Processes for separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours by gravity, inertia or centrifugal forces , Processes for separation of gases or vapours or for recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases by centrifugal force Processes using centrifugal force for selective separation of solid materials carried by, or dispersed in, gas currents Centrifugal casting machines Treatment of water, waste water or sewage by centrifugal separation Domestic spin dryers Lubrication of machines or engines in general, details of lubricant purifying means Exhaust or silencing apparatus for machines or engines having means for removing solid constituents of exhaust, using inertial or centrifugal separators Drying solid material by using centrifuges
IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 8 subcodes exist in both systems.
4 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- B04B 1/00 Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B04B 11/00 Feeding, charging, or discharging bowls (B04B1/00, B04B3/00, B04B7/04 take precedence) IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B04B 13/00 Control arrangements specially designed for centrifuges; Program control of centrifuges (control arrangements for feed, charge or discharge B04B11/00) +2 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B04B 3/00 Centrifuges with rotary bowls in which solid particles or bodies become separated by centrifugal force and simultaneous sifting or filtering IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B04B 7/00 Elements of centrifuges (drives B04B9/00; feeding, charging, or discharging appurtenances or devices B04B11/00) +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B04B 9/00 Drives specially designed for centrifuges; Arrangement or disposition of transmission gearing; Suspending or balancing rotary bowls IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Class B04,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- ALFA LAVAL SE 541
- GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT DE 297
- CSSC NANJING LUZHOU MACHINE COMPANY 165
- GEA WESTFALIA SEPARATOR GROUP DE 138
- FLOTTWEG SE DE 124
- ANDREAS HETTICH & COMPANY DE 108
- OMACHRON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CA 98
- MANN + HUMMEL DE 95
- DYSON GB 87
- JIANGSU SAIDELI PHARMACEUTICAL MACHINE COMPANY 82
Top Applicants (CPC)
Class B04,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- ALFA LAVAL SE 576
- GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT DE 304
- DYSON GB 221
- LG ELECTRONICS KR 151
- GEA WESTFALIA SEPARATOR GROUP DE 138
- FLOTTWEG SE DE 129
- FENWAL US 114
- BECTON, DICKINSON & COMPANY US 112
- ANDREAS HETTICH & COMPANY DE 109
- OMACHRON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CA 108