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IPC Class
B24

GRINDING; POLISHING

Classification Context

Section:
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:
GRINDING; POLISHING

Description

B24 encompasses machines, tools, and processes for grinding and polishing solid materials through abrasive action. This class covers grinding wheels, abrasive belts, honing stones, lapping equipment, and the mechanical apparatus that drives these operations across industrial and precision applications. It includes both the design of abrasive implements and the machines that control feed rate, speed, and contact pressure to achieve desired surface finishes or dimensional tolerances. Related finishing operations such as superfinishing and related abrasive processes fall within this classification.

Filing statistics

IPC B24 recorded 435,393 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 3 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 15,222 in 2013 to 60,573 in 2023 (+298%), peaking at 64,509 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B24 are DISCO ABRASIVE SYSTEM (3,084 applications), APPLIED MATERIALS (1,570 applications) and EBARA CORPORATION (1,393 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

In class comparison

B24 comprises 3 subclasses with filings; the largest is B24B with 86.0% of the class's 435,393 applications between 2013 and 2023.

Subclasses of class B24 by patent applications, 2013–2023
RankSubclassTitleApplicationsShare
1B24B, Machines, Devices, or Processes for Grinding or Polishing; Dressing or Conditioning of Abrading Surfaces; Feeding of Grinding, Polishing, or Lapping AgentsMachines, Devices, or Processes for Grinding or Polishing; Dressing or Conditioning of Abrading Surfaces; Feeding of Grinding, Polishing, or Lapping Agents374,26186.0%
2B24C, Abrasive or Related Blasting With Particulate MaterialAbrasive or Related Blasting With Particulate Material33,3237.7%
3B24D, Tools for Grinding, Buffing or SharpeningTools for Grinding, Buffing or Sharpening27,8096.4%

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

ABRADING by grinding, polishing or blastingabrasive grinding or polishing of CERAMIC(S)grinding, polishing or sandblasting GLASSMACHINE(S) toolsPLANISHING by polishingPOLISHING by abrading or smoothingREDUCING or abrading by grinding, polishing or blastingSURFACING by abrasive polishing or other abradingabrasive grinding or polishing of WOODWORKING any substance by process applicable to metalWORKING metal

3 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. DISCO ABRASIVE SYSTEM 3,084
  2. APPLIED MATERIALS US 1,570
  3. EBARA CORPORATION JP 1,393
  4. DISCO CORPORATION JP 1,368
  5. 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY (MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY) US 1,270
  6. EBARA CORPORATION 1,016
  7. FUJIMI JP 829
  8. ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY 804
  9. ROBERT BOSCH DE 803
  10. SAINT-GOBAIN ABRASIVES US 781