MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES

Description

This class encompasses general-purpose machines and engines, including steam engines and their associated plant systems. It covers the fundamental mechanical principles, components, and operational characteristics of prime movers that convert energy into mechanical work, regardless of their specific energy source or application field. The class includes steam engine design, thermodynamic cycles, engine control systems, and supporting infrastructure for engine installations. Excluded are specialized engines and machines classified in more specific mechanical engineering classes (F02–F16) and applications requiring additional technical subject matter from other sections of IPC.

IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 8 subcodes exist in both systems.

7 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.

Child Classifications

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F01B MACHINES OR ENGINES, IN GENERAL OR OF POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE, e.g. STEAM ENGINES (of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F01C; of non-positive-displacement type F01D; internal-combustion engines F02B; combustion-product engine plants F02G; machines or engines, other than of positive-displacement type, for liquids F03B; positive-displacement engines driven by liquids F03C; wind motors F03D; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04B; rotary-piston, or oscillating-piston, positive-displacement machines for liquids F04C) heading +2 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
F01C ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES (internal-combustion aspects F02B53/00, F02B55/00) heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
F01D NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
F01K STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
F01L CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES heading +16 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
F01M LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING heading +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
F01N GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) heading +26 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
F01P COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; ; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) heading +7 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC

Top Applicants

Top Applicants (IPC)

2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 8,496
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (UTC) US 7,291
SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES FR 5,503
TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION 4,556
SIEMENS DE 3,992
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY KR 3,929
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION US 3,534
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES US 3,407
TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION JP 3,042
WEICHAI POWER COMPANY 2,888

Top Applicants (CPC)

2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 9,989
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (UTC) US 8,110
SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES FR 6,248
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY KR 4,530
SIEMENS DE 4,461
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES US 4,029
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION US 3,947
TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION JP 3,734
GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) 3,415
SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES & COMPANY DE 3,063