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IPC Subclass
B61K

AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RAILWAYS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:
RAILWAYS
Subclass:
AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RAILWAYS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

Description

B61K covers miscellaneous auxiliary equipment and devices specifically designed for railway systems that do not fit into other established railway classifications. This includes specialized tools, maintenance apparatus, safety devices, and operational equipment used in railway infrastructure and operations. Examples encompass rail-mounted equipment for track maintenance, coupling devices, buffers, and specialized railway-specific hardware not classified elsewhere in Section B61. The class functions as a catch-all category for railway-specific inventions that serve supporting rather than primary locomotive or vehicle functions.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass B61K recorded 15,143 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 725 in 2013 to 1,819 in 2023 (+151%), peaking at 2,060 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

B61K ranks 6th of 9 subclasses with filings in B61, with 15,143 applications between 2013 and 2023, 9.1% of the class. Annual filings grew 151% from 2013 to 2023, above the class as a whole (+59%).

Subclasses of class B61 by patent applications, 2013–2023
RankSubclassTitleApplicationsShare
1B61D, Body Details or Kinds of Railway VehiclesBody Details or Kinds of Railway Vehicles44,18426.6%
2B61L, Guiding Railway Traffic; Ensuring the Safety of Railway TrafficGuiding Railway Traffic; Ensuring the Safety of Railway Traffic37,43122.5%
3B61B, Railway Systems; Equipment Therefor Not Otherwise Provided forRailway Systems; Equipment Therefor Not Otherwise Provided for19,40011.7%
4B61F, 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 VehiclesRail 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 Vehicles17,60210.6%
5B61C, Locomotives; Motor RailcarsLocomotives; Motor Railcars15,7489.5%
6B61KAuxiliary Equipment Specially Adapted for Railways, Not Otherwise Provided for15,1439.1%
7B61H, Brakes or Other Retarding Devices Specially Adapted for Rail Vehicles; Arrangement or Disposition Thereof in Rail VehiclesBrakes or Other Retarding Devices Specially Adapted for Rail Vehicles; Arrangement or Disposition Thereof in Rail Vehicles8,8415.3%
8B61G, Couplings Specially Adapted for Railway Vehicles; Draught or Buffing Appliances Specially Adapted for Railway VehiclesCouplings Specially Adapted for Railway Vehicles; Draught or Buffing Appliances Specially Adapted for Railway Vehicles6,6024.0%
9B61J, Shifting or Shunting of Rail VehiclesShifting or Shunting of Rail Vehicles1,2030.7%

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

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Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B61, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. SIEMENS MOBILITY DE 2,749
  2. CRRC QINGDAO SIFANG COMPANY 2,215
  3. SIEMENS DE 1,941
  4. ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES FR 1,514
  5. BYD COMPANY 1,371
  6. CRRC CHANGCHUN RAILWAY VEHICLES COMPANY 1,205
  7. CRRC ZHUZHOU LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY 1,165
  8. CRRC TANGSHAN COMPANY 1,119
  9. BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION DE 1,001
  10. SOUTHWEST JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY 958