IPC Subclass
B23Q DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL, CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Subclass:
- DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL, CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
Description
B23Q covers machine tool components, accessories, and subsystems including spindles, chucks, workholding devices, tool changers, and copying/control mechanisms. It encompasses structural details and functional arrangements of machine tools characterized by their constructional features rather than their end-product function. This subclass also includes combinations or associations of multiple metal-working machines that are not designed to produce a specific final result, such as modular machine configurations or integrated machining systems.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B23Q recorded 452,253 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 17,043 in 2013 to 61,015 in 2023 (+258%), peaking at 66,831 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B23 are ITW (ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS) (3,407 applications), FANUC (3,120 applications) and DISCO ABRASIVE SYSTEM (2,777 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
B23Q ranks 2nd of 9 subclasses with filings in B23, with 452,253 applications between 2013 and 2023, 27.9% of the class. Annual filings grew 258% from 2013 to 2023, above the class as a whole (+174%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B23K, Soldering or Unsoldering; Welding; Cladding or Plating by Soldering or Welding; Cutting by Applying Heat Locally, e.g. Flame Cutting; Working by Laser Beam | Soldering or Unsoldering; Welding; Cladding or Plating by Soldering or Welding; Cutting by Applying Heat Locally, e.g. Flame Cutting; Working by Laser Beam | 516,255 | 31.8% |
| 2 | B23Q | Details, Components, or Accessories for Machine Tools, e.g. Arrangements for Copying or Controlling; Machine Tools in General, Characterised by the Construction of Particular Details or Components; Combinations or Associations of Metal-Working Machines, Not Directed to a Particular Result | 452,253 | 27.9% |
| 3 | B23P, Metal-Working Not Otherwise Provided for; Combined Operations; Universal Machine Tools | Metal-Working Not Otherwise Provided for; Combined Operations; Universal Machine Tools | 233,653 | 14.4% |
| 4 | B23B, Turning; Boring | Turning; Boring | 180,015 | 11.1% |
| 5 | B23D, Planing; Slotting; Shearing; Broaching; Sawing; Filing; Scraping; Like Operations for Working Metal by Removing Material, Not Otherwise Provided for | Planing; Slotting; Shearing; Broaching; Sawing; Filing; Scraping; Like Operations for Working Metal by Removing Material, Not Otherwise Provided for | 132,167 | 8.1% |
| 6 | B23C, Milling | Milling | 50,049 | 3.1% |
| 7 | B23H, Working of Metal by the Action of a High Concentration of Electric Current on a Workpiece Using an Electrode Which Takes the Place of a Tool; Such Working Combined With Other Forms of Working of Metal | Working of Metal by the Action of a High Concentration of Electric Current on a Workpiece Using an Electrode Which Takes the Place of a Tool; Such Working Combined With Other Forms of Working of Metal | 21,842 | 1.3% |
| 8 | B23G, Thread Cutting; Working of Screws, Bolt Heads or Nuts, in Conjunction Therewith | Thread Cutting; Working of Screws, Bolt Heads or Nuts, in Conjunction Therewith | 18,811 | 1.2% |
| 9 | B23F, Making Gears or Toothed Racks | Making Gears or Toothed Racks | 16,856 | 1.0% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
details, components, or accessories for MACHINE(S) tools other than those peculiar to a particular kind of MACHINE(S) toolsMACHINE(S) tools in general characterised by the structure of particular details or components
17 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- B23Q 1/00 Members which are comprised in the general build-up of a form of machine, particularly relatively large fixed members
- B23Q 11/00 Accessories fitted to machine tools for keeping tools or parts of the machine in good working condition or for cooling work; Safety devices specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools
- B23Q 13/00 Equipment for use with tools or cutters when not in operation, e.g. protectors for storage
- B23Q 15/00 Automatic control or regulation of feed movement, cutting velocity or position of tool or work
- B23Q 16/00 Equipment for precise positioning of tool or work into particular locations not otherwise provided for
- B23Q 17/00 Arrangements for indicating or measuring on machine tools
- B23Q 23/00 Arrangements for compensating for irregularities or wear, e.g. of ways, of setting mechanisms
- B23Q 27/00 Geometrical mechanisms for the production of work of particular shapes, not fully provided for in another subclass
- B23Q 3/00 Devices holding, supporting, or positioning, work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine
- B23Q 33/00 Methods for copying
- B23Q 35/00 Control systems or devices for copying directly from a pattern or a master model; Devices for use in copying manually
- B23Q 37/00 Metal-working machines, or constructional combinations thereof, built-up from units designed so that at least some of the units can form parts of different machines or combinations; Units therefor in so far as the feature of interchangeability is important
- B23Q 39/00 Metal-working machines incorporating a plurality of sub-assemblies, each capable of performing a metal-working operation
- B23Q 41/00 Combinations or associations of metal-working machines not directed to a particular result according to classes , or
- B23Q 5/00 Driving or feeding mechanisms; Control arrangements therefor
- B23Q 7/00 Arrangements for handling work specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools, e.g. for conveying, loading, positioning, discharging, sorting
- B23Q 9/00 Arrangements for supporting or guiding portable metal-working machines or apparatus
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B23, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- ITW (ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS) US 3,407
- FANUC JP 3,120
- DISCO ABRASIVE SYSTEM 2,777
- HAN'S LASER TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP COMPANY 2,629
- ROBERT BOSCH DE 2,468
- FANUC 2,273
- DISCO CORPORATION JP 2,267
- GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 1,611
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1,534
- ISCAR IL 1,499