ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES

Description

B60H covers climate control and air treatment systems integrated into vehicle cabins, cargo areas, and passenger compartments. It encompasses heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification, humidity control, and related environmental conditioning technologies specifically designed for automotive applications. This subclass includes component arrangements, control systems, and distribution methods for maintaining occupant comfort and preserving cargo conditions in cars, trucks, buses, and similar vehicles. Adjacent classes address vehicle body structures (B60J) and other vehicle equipment not primarily focused on environmental conditioning.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass B60H recorded 96,136 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 4,994 in 2013 to 10,905 in 2023 (+118%), peaking at 11,034 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