B41L APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR MANIFOLDING, DUPLICATING OR PRINTING FOR OFFICE OR OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES; ADDRESSING MACHINES OR LIKE SERIES-PRINTING MACHINES
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- Subclass:
- APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR MANIFOLDING, DUPLICATING OR PRINTING FOR OFFICE OR OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES; ADDRESSING MACHINES OR LIKE SERIES-PRINTING MACHINES
Description
B41L covers mechanical and electromechanical devices designed for high-volume office and commercial printing, copying, and document processing tasks. This includes manifolding machines (producing multiple copies through pressure transfer), duplicating equipment (such as spirit duplicators and mimeographs), and addressing machines that print repetitive text or variable data on envelopes and labels. The classification encompasses both standalone machines and integrated systems used in commercial print shops, corporate offices, and postal operations, but excludes general printing presses (B41F) and letterpress/relief printing machinery (B41K).
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B41L recorded 963 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 155 in 2013 to 16 in 2023 (-90%). The most active applicants in class B41 are SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION (14,672 applications), CANON (14,153 applications) and RICOH COMPANY (8,049 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
B41L ranks 8th of 10 subclasses with filings in B41, with 963 applications between 2013 and 2023, 0.3% of the class. Annual filings declined 90% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+15%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B41J, Typewriters; Selective Printing Mechanisms, i.e. Mechanisms Printing Otherwise Than From a Forme; Correction of Typographical Errors | Typewriters; Selective Printing Mechanisms, i.e. Mechanisms Printing Otherwise Than From a Forme; Correction of Typographical Errors | 200,339 | 52.8% |
| 2 | B41F, Printing Machines or Presses | Printing Machines or Presses | 101,976 | 26.9% |
| 3 | B41M, Printing, Duplicating, Marking, or Copying Processes; Colour Printing | Printing, Duplicating, Marking, or Copying Processes; Colour Printing | 51,201 | 13.5% |
| 4 | B41K, Stamps; Stamping or Numbering Apparatus or Devices | Stamps; Stamping or Numbering Apparatus or Devices | 11,667 | 3.1% |
| 5 | B41C, Processes for the Manufacture or Reproduction of Printing Surfaces | Processes for the Manufacture or Reproduction of Printing Surfaces | 6,318 | 1.7% |
| 6 | B41N, Printing Plates or Foils; Materials for Surfaces Used in Printing Machines for Printing, Inking, Damping, or the Like; Preparing Such Surfaces for Use or Conserving Them | Printing Plates or Foils; Materials for Surfaces Used in Printing Machines for Printing, Inking, Damping, or the Like; Preparing Such Surfaces for Use or Conserving Them | 5,288 | 1.4% |
| 7 | B41G, Apparatus for Bronze Printing, Line Printing, or for Bordering or Edging Sheets or Like Articles; Auxiliary Apparatus for Perforating in Conjunction With Printing | Apparatus for Bronze Printing, Line Printing, or for Bordering or Edging Sheets or Like Articles; Auxiliary Apparatus for Perforating in Conjunction With Printing | 1,131 | 0.3% |
| 8 | B41L | Apparatus or Devices for Manifolding, Duplicating or Printing for Office or Other Commercial Purposes; Addressing Machines or Like Series-Printing Machines | 963 | 0.3% |
| 9 | B41B, Machines or Accessories for Making, Setting, or Distributing Type; Type; Photographic or Photoelectronic Composing Devices | Machines or Accessories for Making, Setting, or Distributing Type; Type; Photographic or Photoelectronic Composing Devices | 118 | 0.0% |
| 10 | B41D, Apparatus for the Mechanical Reproduction of Printing Surfaces for Stereotype Printing; Shaping Elastic or Deformable Material to Form Printing Surfaces | Apparatus for the Mechanical Reproduction of Printing Surfaces for Stereotype Printing; Shaping Elastic or Deformable Material to Form Printing Surfaces | 91 | 0.0% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
25 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- B41L 1/00 Devices for performing operations in connection with manifolding by means of pressure-sensitive layers or intermediaries, e.g. carbons; Accessories for manifolding purposes
- B41L 11/00 Apparatus for directly duplicating from hectographic masters in mirror image, i.e. "wet duplicators" for producing positive copies
- B41L 13/00 Stencilling apparatus for office or other commercial use
- B41L 15/00 Letterpress printing apparatus specially adapted for office or other commercial purposes
- B41L 17/00 Lithographic printing apparatus for office or other commercial purposes
- B41L 19/00 Duplicating or printing apparatus or machines for office or other commercial purposes, of special types or for particular purposes and not otherwise provided for
- B41L 21/00 Devices for conveying sheets or webs of copy material through apparatus or machines for manifolding, duplicating, or printing
- B41L 23/00 Devices for treating the surface of sheets, webs, or other articles in connection with printing
- B41L 25/00 Devices for damping printing surfaces, e.g. moistening printing surfaces in connection with lithographic printing
- B41L 27/00 Inking arrangements or devices
- B41L 29/00 Devices for attaching printing elements or formes to supports
- B41L 3/00 Platens or like sheet supports for manifolding using pressure-sensitive layers or intermediaries, e.g. for book-keeping purposes
- B41L 31/00 Devices for removing flexible printing formes from forme cylinders
- B41L 33/00 Pressing flexible printing formes or sheets or webs of copy material against cylinders, e.g. for smoothing purposes
- B41L 35/00 Cylinders for apparatus or machines for manifolding, duplicating, or printing for office or other commercial purposes
- B41L 38/00 Devices for attaching coverings or make-ready devices; Guiding devices for coverings
- B41L 39/00 Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices
- B41L 41/00 Cleaning arrangements or devices
- B41L 43/00 Auxiliary folding, collecting, or depositing of sheets or webs
- B41L 45/00 Kinds or types of addressing machines or of like series-printing machines
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B41, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION 14,672
- CANON 14,153
- RICOH COMPANY 8,049
- SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION JP 8,044
- HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY US 7,312
- BROTHER INDUSTRIES 6,887
- KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS 5,463
- CANON JP 5,001
- KONICA MINOLTA CORPORATION 4,512
- BROTHER INDUSTRIES JP 3,681