B61B RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
Introduced: September 1968
Last revised: January 1985
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- RAILWAYS
- Subclass:
- RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
Description
B61B covers railway systems and associated equipment that do not fit within more specific railway classifications. This subclass encompasses auxiliary systems, infrastructure components, and integrated railway arrangements not classified elsewhere in B61, such as rail-mounted structures, railway-based transportation networks, and supporting mechanical systems. It serves as a residual classification for railway technology that falls outside the scope of dedicated subclasses for locomotives (B61C), rolling stock (B61D), track construction (B61F), or signaling and safety systems (B61L). Applications include comprehensive railway system designs, specialized railway equipment, and integrated solutions combining multiple railway technologies.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B61B recorded 19,400 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 1,022 in 2013 to 1,651 in 2023 (+62%), peaking at 2,391 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B61 are SIEMENS MOBILITY (2,749 applications), CRRC QINGDAO SIFANG COMPANY (2,215 applications) and SIEMENS (1,941 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
B61B ranks 3rd of 9 subclasses with filings in B61, with 19,400 applications between 2013 and 2023, 11.7% of the class. Annual filings grew 62% from 2013 to 2023, above the class as a whole (+59%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B61D, Body Details or Kinds of Railway Vehicles | Body Details or Kinds of Railway Vehicles | 44,184 | 26.6% |
| 2 | B61L, Guiding Railway Traffic; Ensuring the Safety of Railway Traffic | Guiding Railway Traffic; Ensuring the Safety of Railway Traffic | 37,431 | 22.5% |
| 3 | B61B | Railway Systems; Equipment Therefor Not Otherwise Provided for | 19,400 | 11.7% |
| 4 | B61F, Rail Vehicle Suspensions, e.g. Underframes, Bogies or Arrangements of Wheel Axles; Rail Vehicles for Use on Tracks of Different Width; Preventing Derailing of Rail Vehicles; Wheel Guards, Obstruction Removers or the Like for Rail Vehicles | Rail Vehicle Suspensions, e.g. Underframes, Bogies or Arrangements of Wheel Axles; Rail Vehicles for Use on Tracks of Different Width; Preventing Derailing of Rail Vehicles; Wheel Guards, Obstruction Removers or the Like for Rail Vehicles | 17,602 | 10.6% |
| 5 | B61C, Locomotives; Motor Railcars | Locomotives; Motor Railcars | 15,748 | 9.5% |
| 6 | B61K, Auxiliary Equipment Specially Adapted for Railways, Not Otherwise Provided for | Auxiliary Equipment Specially Adapted for Railways, Not Otherwise Provided for | 15,143 | 9.1% |
| 7 | B61H, Brakes or Other Retarding Devices Specially Adapted for Rail Vehicles; Arrangement or Disposition Thereof in Rail Vehicles | Brakes or Other Retarding Devices Specially Adapted for Rail Vehicles; Arrangement or Disposition Thereof in Rail Vehicles | 8,841 | 5.3% |
| 8 | B61G, Couplings Specially Adapted for Railway Vehicles; Draught or Buffing Appliances Specially Adapted for Railway Vehicles | Couplings Specially Adapted for Railway Vehicles; Draught or Buffing Appliances Specially Adapted for Railway Vehicles | 6,602 | 4.0% |
| 9 | B61J, Shifting or Shunting of Rail Vehicles | Shifting or Shunting of Rail Vehicles | 1,203 | 0.7% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Additional Content
Devices specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material
Related Keywords
10 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- B61B 1/00 General arrangement of stations, platforms, or sidings; Railway networks; Rail-vehicle marshalling systems
- B61B 10/00 Power-and-free systems
- B61B 11/00 Ski-lift, sleigh-lift or like trackless systems with guided towing cables only
- B61B 12/00 Component parts, details, or accessories for rope railways or power-and-free systems not provided for in groups
- B61B 13/00 Other railway systems
- B61B 15/00 Combinations of railway systems
- B61B 3/00 Elevated railway systems with suspended vehicles
- B61B 5/00 Elevated railway systems without suspended vehicles
- B61B 7/00 Rope railway systems with suspended flexible tracks
- B61B 9/00 Tramway or funicular systems with rigid track and cable traction
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B61, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SIEMENS MOBILITY DE 2,749
- CRRC QINGDAO SIFANG COMPANY 2,215
- SIEMENS DE 1,941
- ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES FR 1,514
- BYD COMPANY 1,371
- CRRC CHANGCHUN RAILWAY VEHICLES COMPANY 1,205
- CRRC ZHUZHOU LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY 1,165
- CRRC TANGSHAN COMPANY 1,119
- BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION DE 1,001
- SOUTHWEST JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY 958