D04H MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING (non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
Introduced: September 1968
Description
D04H encompasses processes and apparatus for manufacturing textile fabrics directly from fibres or filamentary materials without traditional weaving or knitting methods. This classification covers non-woven fabric production technologies, felting processes, and related materials such as cotton-wool and wadding used in textiles, filtration, insulation, and absorbent applications. The subclass includes both the manufacturing machinery and the resulting fabric products, addressing techniques such as mechanical interlocking, thermal bonding, and chemical binding of fibre webs. Related braiding, lace-making, and knitting technologies are classified separately in D04B–D04G.
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING
CPC: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING (non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING
MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING (non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
Additional Content IPC
Glossary
Non-woven fabrics non-woven fabric Fabrics formed wholly or partly of textile material by processes comprising operations other than the weaving, knitting, braiding, lacing, or knotting of yarns, threads, or filaments for which provision is made in other subclasses of section . This expression includes felts, cotton-wool and wadding. Composite fibres Conjugated fibres that are manufactured by composite spinning of two or more kinds of immiscible resins, of which the resins form such phase structures as side-by-side, sheath-core, sea-island, wood grain pattern, multi-layered, radial or mosaic in the cross section surface vertical to the fibre axis. Mixed fibres Mixture of two or more kinds of fibres made of different substances. Fleece fleeces Fabric composed of a foundation layer with a thick, soft nap or pile, in which any type of fabric, including a knit or a woven fabric, can be incorporated as a foundation layer. A fleece should be treated as a single layer, not as a layered product. Pile Upright loop or nap raised from the surface of fabrics.
Limiting references
Non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric
Application references
Filtering material for liquid or gaseous fluids
IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 7 subcodes exist in both systems.
2 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- D04H 1/00 Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- D04H 11/00 Non-woven pile fabrics (layered products forming non-woven pile fabrics B32B) IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- D04H 3/00 Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- D04H 5/00 Non woven fabrics formed of mixtures of relatively short fibres and yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Class D04,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 887
- KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION US 727
- TORAY INDUSTRIES JP 692
- NIKE US 633
- SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION 537
- TORAY INDUSTRIES 528
- NIKE INNOVATE US 522
- 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY (MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY) US 479
- NATIONAL DONG HWA UNIVERSITY 439
- NINGBO CIXING COMPANY 425
Top Applicants (CPC)
Class D04,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 1,303
- TORAY INDUSTRIES JP 899
- KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION US 856
- NIKE INNOVATE US 852
- NIKE US 749
- 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY (MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY) US 569
- SHIMA SEIKI MANUFACTURING JP 469
- SAINT-GOBAIN ISOVER FR 468
- REIFENHAEUSER & COMPANY MASCHINENFABRIK DE 462
- NIKE INNOVATE NL 363