VEHICLES FOR USE BOTH ON RAIL AND ON ROAD; VEHICLES CAPABLE OF TRAVELLING IN OR ON DIFFERENT MEDIA, e.g. AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES

Description

B60F covers dual-mode and multi-terrain vehicles engineered to operate across fundamentally different transportation environments. This includes rail-road vehicles (capable of running on both railway tracks and road surfaces), amphibious vehicles (designed for land and water travel), and other vehicles that traverse distinct media such as snow, swamps, or air-cushion surfaces. The classification encompasses structural modifications, conversion mechanisms, and control systems necessary to enable safe and functional operation in these diverse conditions. Excluded are single-purpose vehicles and those featuring only minor adaptations; specialized features for specific terrains are classified in their respective vehicle categories.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass B60F recorded 8,932 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 466 in 2013 to 1,013 in 2023 (+117%), peaking at 1,066 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