B31B MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B)
Introduced: September 1968
Description
B31B covers manufacturing processes and machinery for producing containers, boxes, tubes, and similar hollow articles from paper, cardboard, and paper-like materials. This classification encompasses folding, gluing, forming, and assembly techniques used to create rigid or semi-rigid packaging structures, including corrugated boxes, folding cartons, paper bags, and composite containers. Technologies within this scope range from manual to fully automated systems for die-cutting, scoring, creasing, and bonding paper-based materials into functional containers. Related classes such as B31D address making other paper articles (e.g., envelopes, labels), while B65B covers filling and closing containers after manufacture.
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
CPC: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B)
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B)
Of 20 combined children, 2 exist in both systems.
10 codes are CPC-only extensions, 8 exist only in IPC.
Note: 10 CPC extensions are marked as secondary classification only.
IPC defines codes here since 2017.
Child Classifications
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- B31B 100/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs since 2017 IPC only IPC only
- B31B 105/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by assembling separate sheets, blanks or webs since 2017 IPC only IPC only
- B31B 150/00 Flexible containers made from sheets or blanks, e.g. from flattened tubes since 2017 −2 IPC IPC only IPC only
- B31B 2100/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs 2nd only +1 CPC CPC only CPC only
- B31B 2105/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by assembling separate sheets, blanks or webs 2nd only +2 CPC CPC only CPC only
- B31B 2150/00 Flexible containers made from sheets or blanks, e.g. from flattened tubes 2nd only +5 CPC CPC only CPC only
- B31B 50/00 Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons since 2017 +5 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B31B 70/00 Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags since 2017 +7 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Class B31,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- GPI (GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL) US 356
- KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION US 296
- RANPAK CORPORATION US 257
- P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 228
- BOBST MEX CH 218
- JIANGSU NANJIANG MACHINERY COMPANY 214
- SINOTECHO (WUHAN) INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY COMPANY 209
- DONGGUAN HONGMING MACHINERY COMPANY 195
- BHS CORRUGATED MASCHINEN- UND ANLAGENBAU DE 192
- TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE CH 183
Top Applicants (CPC)
Class B31,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- GPI (GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL) US 496
- P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 403
- KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION US 332
- RANPAK CORPORATION US 279
- PULPAC SE 256
- BOBST MEX CH 251
- TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE CH 246
- PREGIS INNOVATIVE PACKAGING US 210
- WESTROCK SHARED SERVICES US 204
- BHS CORRUGATED MASCHINEN- UND ANLAGENBAU DE 198