CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING; PREPARATORY TREATMENT OF GRAIN FOR MILLING

Description

Class B02 covers mechanical processes for reducing solid materials to smaller particles through crushing, pulverising, or disintegrating, as well as preparatory operations for grain processing before milling. This class encompasses equipment, machinery, and methods for breaking down materials such as minerals, ores, coal, stone, and agricultural products into finer forms. It includes both the crushing apparatus itself and associated preparatory treatments, particularly the cleaning, conditioning, and sizing of grain prior to flour or meal production.

Filing statistics

IPC B02 recorded 344,178 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 2 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 9,003 in 2013 to 46,520 in 2023 (+417%), peaking at 58,365 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B02 are SANDVIK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (503 applications), THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (498 applications) and THYSSEN KRUPP (382 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings