VEHICLES IN GENERAL

Classification Context

Section:: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:: VEHICLES IN GENERAL

Description

B60 covers the design, construction, and components of vehicles intended for land, rail, water, or air transport, excluding those primarily designed for other purposes. This broad class encompasses automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, trains, ships, and aircraft, including their chassis, frames, bodies, engines, and integrated systems. The classification includes vehicle-specific technologies such as steering, braking, suspension, and propulsion systems, as well as safety features and equipment peculiar to vehicular use. Adjacent classes address specialized transport modes (e.g., B61 for railway vehicles), marine vessels (B63), and aircraft (B64) when their technical features warrant separate detailed treatment.

Filing statistics

IPC B60 recorded 2,086,028 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 18 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 129,347 in 2013 to 217,190 in 2023 (+68%), peaking at 226,635 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B60 are TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (28,052 applications), HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY (27,773 applications) and FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES (26,243 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

In class comparison

B60 comprises 18 subclasses with filings; the largest is B60R with 20.2% of the class's 2,086,028 applications between 2013 and 2023.

Top 10 of 18 subclasses of class B60 by patent applications, 2013–2023
Rank	Subclass	Title	Applications	Share
1	B60R, Vehicles, Vehicle Fittings, or Vehicle Parts, Not Otherwise Provided for	Vehicles, Vehicle Fittings, or Vehicle Parts, Not Otherwise Provided for	421,964	20.2%
2	B60L, Propulsion of Electrically-Propelled Vehicles; Supplying Electric Power for Auxiliary Equipment of Electrically-Propelled Vehicles; Electrodynamic Brake Systems for Vehicles in General; Magnetic Suspension or Levitation for Vehicles; Monitoring Operating Variables of Electrically-Propelled Vehicles; Electric Safety Devices for Electrically-Propelled Vehicles	Propulsion of Electrically-Propelled Vehicles; Supplying Electric Power for Auxiliary Equipment of Electrically-Propelled Vehicles; Electrodynamic Brake Systems for Vehicles in General; Magnetic Suspension or Levitation for Vehicles; Monitoring Operating Variables of Electrically-Propelled Vehicles; Electric Safety Devices for Electrically-Propelled Vehicles	274,295	13.1%
3	B60K, Arrangement or Mounting of Propulsion Units or of Transmissions in Vehicles; Arrangement or Mounting of Plural Diverse Prime-Movers in Vehicles; Auxiliary Drives for Vehicles; Instrumentation or Dashboards for Vehicles; Arrangements in Connection With Cooling, Air Intake, Gas Exhaust or Fuel Supply of Propulsion Units in Vehicles	Arrangement or Mounting of Propulsion Units or of Transmissions in Vehicles; Arrangement or Mounting of Plural Diverse Prime-Movers in Vehicles; Auxiliary Drives for Vehicles; Instrumentation or Dashboards for Vehicles; Arrangements in Connection With Cooling, Air Intake, Gas Exhaust or Fuel Supply of Propulsion Units in Vehicles	249,338	12.0%
4	B60W, Conjoint Control of Vehicle Sub-Units of Different Type or Different Function; Control Systems Specially Adapted for Hybrid Vehicles; Road Vehicle Drive Control Systems for Purposes Not Related to the Control of a Particular Sub-Unit	Conjoint Control of Vehicle Sub-Units of Different Type or Different Function; Control Systems Specially Adapted for Hybrid Vehicles; Road Vehicle Drive Control Systems for Purposes Not Related to the Control of a Particular Sub-Unit	198,743	9.5%
5	B60N, Seats Specially Adapted for Vehicles; Vehicle Passenger Accommodation Not Otherwise Provided for	Seats Specially Adapted for Vehicles; Vehicle Passenger Accommodation Not Otherwise Provided for	128,521	6.2%
6	B60T, Vehicle Brake Control Systems or Parts Thereof; Brake Control Systems or Parts Thereof, in General; Arrangement of Braking Elements on Vehicles in General; Portable Devices for Preventing Unwanted Movement of Vehicles; Vehicle Modifications to Facilitate Cooling of Brakes	Vehicle Brake Control Systems or Parts Thereof; Brake Control Systems or Parts Thereof, in General; Arrangement of Braking Elements on Vehicles in General; Portable Devices for Preventing Unwanted Movement of Vehicles; Vehicle Modifications to Facilitate Cooling of Brakes	102,029	4.9%
7	B60H, Arrangements of Heating, Cooling, Ventilating or Other Air-Treating Devices Specially Adapted for Passenger or Goods Spaces of Vehicles	Arrangements of Heating, Cooling, Ventilating or Other Air-Treating Devices Specially Adapted for Passenger or Goods Spaces of Vehicles	96,136	4.6%
8	B60C, Vehicle Tyres; Tyre Inflation; Tyre Changing; Connecting Valves to Inflatable Elastic Bodies in General; Devices or Arrangements Related to Tyres	Vehicle Tyres; Tyre Inflation; Tyre Changing; Connecting Valves to Inflatable Elastic Bodies in General; Devices or Arrangements Related to Tyres	95,602	4.6%
9	B60Q, Arrangement of Signalling or Lighting Devices, the Mounting or Supporting Thereof or Circuits Therefor, for Vehicles in General	Arrangement of Signalling or Lighting Devices, the Mounting or Supporting Thereof or Circuits Therefor, for Vehicles in General	95,567	4.6%
10	B60P, Vehicles Adapted for Load Transportation or to Transport, to Carry, or to Comprise Special Loads or Objects	Vehicles Adapted for Load Transportation or to Transport, to Carry, or to Comprise Special Loads or Objects	87,420	4.2%

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

preventing ACCIDENTS in road trafficVEHICLESbody details of VEHICLES

18 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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B60B VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
B60C VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
B60D VEHICLE CONNECTIONS
B60F VEHICLES FOR USE BOTH ON RAIL AND ON ROAD; VEHICLES CAPABLE OF TRAVELLING IN OR ON DIFFERENT MEDIA, e.g. AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES
B60G VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
B60H ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
B60J WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
B60K ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
B60L PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
B60M POWER SUPPLY LINES, OR DEVICES ALONG RAILS, FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
B60N SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
B60P VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
B60Q ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
B60R VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
B60S SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
B60T VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
B60V AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
B60W CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT

Top Applicants

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

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION 28,052
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY KR 27,773
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES US 26,243
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION KR 20,110
ROBERT BOSCH DE 19,033
TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION JP 17,924
BMW (BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE) DE 14,214
HONDA MOTOR COMPANY 12,527
AUDI DE 10,806
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS US 10,336