E04C STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S)
Introduced: September 1968
Description
E04C covers structural elements and building materials used in construction, including beams, columns, panels, frames, and other load-bearing or non-load-bearing components. This subclass encompasses both traditional materials (wood, stone, concrete, steel) and modern composite or prefabricated elements, as well as their manufacturing processes and assembly methods. Inventions relating to structural improvements, material compositions, reinforcement techniques, and connections between building components are classified here. Related specific construction technologies (such as roofing, insulation, or finishing) may fall under other E04 subclasses, while E04C focuses primarily on the primary structural framework and constituent materials.
Title
Titles differ between systems:
IPC: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
CPC: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S)
Full Title
Full titles differ between systems:
STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S)
IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 4 subcodes exist in both systems.
4 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- E04C 1/00 Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings (of relatively thin form E04C2/00; structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting E04C3/00, e.g. columns or pillars E04C3/30; manufacture or material of building bricks, stones, or the like B28, C03, C04; paving elements E01C; general building constructions E04B, e.g. walls E04B2/00, floors E04B5/00, roofs E04B7/00, ceilings E04B9/00; structural elements specially designed for built-in conduit shafts E04F17/00; ; special elements for building ovens or furnaces F24B, F27D) +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- E04C 2/00 Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels (materials or manufacture, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B27N, D21J; made in situ E04B; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B1/62; load-carrying floor structures E04B5/02, E04B5/16; roofs consisting of self-supporting slabs E04B7/20; roof or like covering elements E04D3/00; for lining or finishing E04F13/00) +3 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- E04C 3/00 Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting (as building aids E04G) +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- E04C 5/00 Reinforcing elements, e.g. for concrete; Auxiliary elements therefor ( material composition C21, C22) IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Class E04,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINA CONSTRUCTION EIGHTH ENGINEERING DIVISION 6,575
- ZHEJIANG YASHA DECORATION COMPANY 4,488
- SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 4,427
- CHINA CONSTRUCTION SECOND ENGINEERING BUREAU 4,352
- CHINA MCC17 GROUP COMPANY 3,122
- GOLD MANTIS FINE DECORATION TECHNOLOGY (SUZHOU) COMPANY 2,605
- SHENYANG JIANZHU UNIVERSITY 2,420
- CHINA CONSTRUCTION SEVENTH ENGINEERING DIVISION COMPANY 2,284
- CHINA CONSTRUCTION FIFTH ENGINEERING DIVISION CORPORATION 2,008
- CHINA CONSTRUCTION FIRST BUILDING (GROUP) CORPORATION 1,967
Top Applicants (CPC)
Class E04,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINA CONSTRUCTION EIGHTH ENGINEERING DIVISION 1,675
- CHINA MCC17 GROUP COMPANY 1,593
- ZHEJIANG YASHA DECORATION COMPANY 1,551
- SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 1,297
- GOLD MANTIS FINE DECORATION TECHNOLOGY (SUZHOU) COMPANY 1,212
- SHENYANG JIANZHU UNIVERSITY 926
- VAELINGE INNOVATION SE 901
- CHINA MCC5 GROUP CORPORATION 894
- VKR HOLDING DK 854
- SHANGHAI BAOYE GROUP CORPORATION 753