POWER SUPPLY LINES, OR DEVICES ALONG RAILS, FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:: VEHICLES IN GENERAL
Subclass:: POWER SUPPLY LINES, OR DEVICES ALONG RAILS, FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES

Description

Covers infrastructure and apparatus for delivering electrical power to rail-mounted or track-guided vehicles, including overhead contact lines (catenary systems), third-rail systems, and associated supporting structures such as poles, insulators, and pantograph interfaces. Encompasses power distribution devices, connection mechanisms, and safety systems integral to the track-side power supply network for electric trains, trams, and similar vehicles. Excludes the vehicle's onboard electrical systems and power storage devices, which fall under related B60 subclasses.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass B60M recorded 12,865 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 1,044 in 2013 to 1,047 in 2023 (+0%), peaking at 1,480 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

Related Keywords

OVERHEAD power lines for electric vehicleselectric POWER supply for electrically-propelled vehicleselectric power supply for electrically-propelled VEHICLES

4 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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B60M 1/00 Power supply lines for contact with collector on vehicle
B60M 3/00 Feeding power to the supply lines in contact with collector on vehicles; Arrangements for consuming regenerative power
B60M 5/00 Arrangements along running rails or at joints thereof for current-conduction or insulation, e.g. safety devices for reducing earth currents
B60M 7/00 Power lines or rails specially adapted for electrically-propelled vehicles of special types, e.g. suspension tramway, ropeway, underground railway

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B60, 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