B60V AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- Subclass:
- AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
Description
B60V covers air-cushion vehicles (hovercraft) and related technology for generating, maintaining, and controlling the air cushion beneath the craft. This classification includes propulsion systems, steering mechanisms, skirt designs, and air supply/pressure regulation systems specific to hovering and ground-effect vehicles. Applications encompass passenger and cargo transport over water, marshland, and other surfaces where conventional wheeled or water-based vessels are impractical. Adjacent classes address conventional vehicle propulsion (B60K) and marine vessel design (B63B).
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B60V recorded 1,262 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 119 in 2013 to 79 in 2023 (-34%), peaking at 134 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
B60V ranks 18th of 18 subclasses with filings in B60, with 1,262 applications between 2013 and 2023, 0.1% of the class. Annual filings declined 34% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+68%).
| 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% |
| 18 | B60V | Air-Cushion Vehicles | 1,262 | 0.1% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Additional Content
Glossary
Vehicle vehicles This term has been used with the following two variations in meaning within this subclass:(1) all varieties of apparatus (e.g. automobiles) intended to carry people or goods significant distances (e.g. between cities, to or from separate building complexes) across land, over water, or through the air except those restricted to one of the following types: rail vehicles, waterborne vessels, aircraft, space vehicles, hand carts, cycles, animal-drawn vehicles, or sledges. (2) In some instances in this definition, the term "vehicle" has been qualified by another word which takes its meaning outside the scope of (1) above (e.g. "rail vehicle"), in which case the word "vehicle" takes its broader meaning in (1) above (i.e. without the specified exception of particular types of vehicles from its scope). The reader can determine from the context whether an occurrence of the word "vehicle" in this definition falls within the meaning stated in (1) or (2).
Limiting references
General manufacturing of various vehicle parts Assembling and disassembling of various metal parts Assembling of a multiplicity of different parts to compose units Designing, manufacturing, assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers The construction of hulls Methods of designing, building, maintaining, converting, refitting, repairing, or determining properties of vessels , , , , Designing, manufacturing, or assembling aircraft, not otherwise provided for
Related Keywords
2 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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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