B41N PRINTING PLATES OR FOILS (photosensitive material G03); MATERIALS FOR SURFACES USED IN PRINTING MACHINES FOR PRINTING, INKING, DAMPING, OR THE LIKE; PREPARING SUCH SURFACES FOR USE AND CONSERVING THEM
Introduced: September 1968
Description
B41N encompasses printing plates, foils, and specialized surface materials used in printing machinery, covering lithographic stones, metallic plates, photopolymer surfaces, and rubber rollers designed for printing, inking, damping, or related functions. This class includes methods for preparing these surfaces (such as graining, coating, or chemical treatment) and their conservation or maintenance to preserve functionality. The scope extends to materials selection, composition specifications, and surface modification techniques that enhance performance in offset, relief, or intaglio printing processes. Adjacent classes address printing machinery design itself (B41F) and typewriter mechanisms (B41K), whereas B41N focuses specifically on the substrate and interface components.
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: PRINTING PLATES OR FOILS; MATERIALS FOR SURFACES USED IN PRINTING MACHINES FOR PRINTING, INKING, DAMPING, OR THE LIKE; PREPARING SUCH SURFACES FOR USE OR CONSERVING THEM
CPC: PRINTING PLATES OR FOILS (photosensitive material G03); MATERIALS FOR SURFACES USED IN PRINTING MACHINES FOR PRINTING, INKING, DAMPING, OR THE LIKE; PREPARING SUCH SURFACES FOR USE AND CONSERVING THEM
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
PRINTING PLATES OR FOILS; MATERIALS FOR SURFACES USED IN PRINTING MACHINES FOR PRINTING, INKING, DAMPING, OR THE LIKE; PREPARING SUCH SURFACES FOR USE OR CONSERVING THEM
PRINTING PLATES OR FOILS (photosensitive material G03); MATERIALS FOR SURFACES USED IN PRINTING MACHINES FOR PRINTING, INKING, DAMPING, OR THE LIKE; PREPARING SUCH SURFACES FOR USE AND CONSERVING THEM
Of 9 combined children, 7 exist in both systems.
2 codes are CPC-only extensions.
Note: 2 CPC extensions are marked as secondary classification only.
2 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- B41N 10/00 Blankets or like coverings; Coverings for wipers for intaglio printing (wipers for intaglio printing B41F9/08) since 1990 +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B41N 2207/00 Location or type of the layers in shells for rollers of printing machines 2nd only +6 CPC CPC only CPC only
- B41N 2210/00 Location or type of the layers in multi-layer blankets or like coverings 2nd only +6 CPC CPC only CPC only
- B41N 3/00 Preparing for use and conserving printing surfaces +2 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B41N 6/00 Mounting boards; Make-ready devices, e.g. underlays, overlays; Attaching by chemical means, e.g. vulcanising since 1990 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- B41N 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass since 2006 IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Class B41,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION 14,672
- CANON 14,153
- RICOH COMPANY 8,049
- SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION JP 8,044
- HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY US 7,312
- BROTHER INDUSTRIES 6,887
- KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS 5,463
- CANON JP 5,001
- KONICA MINOLTA CORPORATION 4,512
- BROTHER INDUSTRIES JP 3,681
Top Applicants (CPC)
Class B41,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION 8,446
- SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION JP 8,438
- HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY US 7,828
- CANON JP 5,419
- CANON 4,156
- BROTHER INDUSTRIES JP 3,763
- BROTHER INDUSTRIES 2,779
- RICOH COMPANY JP 2,717
- FUJIFILM JP 2,423
- RICOH COMPANY 1,739