MANUFACTURING OR TRIMMING HEAD COVERINGS, e.g. HATS

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:: HUMAN NECESSITIES
Class:: HEADWEAR
Subclass:: MANUFACTURING OR TRIMMING HEAD COVERINGS, e.g. HATS

Description

A42C encompasses processes and machinery for manufacturing, assembling, and finishing head coverings including hats, caps, bonnets, and similar headwear. This subclass covers techniques such as blocking, shaping, stitching, binding, and application of trimmings or decorative elements to headwear. It includes both hand tools and automated equipment used in hat production, as well as methods for cutting, forming, and joining hat components from various materials such as felt, straw, fabric, or leather.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass A42C recorded 2,541 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 118 in 2013 to 303 in 2023 (+157%), peaking at 380 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class A42 are SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) (411 applications), BELL SPORTS (256 applications) and MIPS (221 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

making of CAP(S)making of HAT(S)making of HEADWEARmaking of HOOD(S)STEAMING in making headwear

5 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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A42C 1/00 Manufacturing hats
A42C 2/00 Manufacturing helmets by processes not otherwise provided for
A42C 3/00 Appliances for hat-making not provided for in group , e.g. for making wire forms for hat-frames; Apparatus for changing the form or size of finished hats
A42C 5/00 Fittings or trimmings for hats, e.g. hat-bands
A42C 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class A42, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 411
BELL SPORTS US 256
MIPS SE 221
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY (MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY) US 148
GENTEX CORPORATION US 129
KASK IT 122
PFANNER SCHUTZBEKLEIDUNG AT 114
GUANGDONG POWER GRID CORPORATION 107
GU ZHENGHUI 88
MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION US 82