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IPC Subclass
B64B

LIGHTER-THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:
AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
Subclass:
LIGHTER-THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT

Description

B64B covers design, construction, and operational systems of lighter-than-air aircraft, including balloons, airships, and dirigibles. This classification encompasses structural components such as envelopes, gas cells, ballonets, and mooring systems, as well as propulsion, control, and stability mechanisms specific to aerostatic lift principles. It also includes auxiliary equipment for inflation, deflation, and ballast management. Adjacent classifications B64C and B64D address heavier-than-air aircraft and general aircraft equipment respectively.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass B64B recorded 5,162 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 336 in 2013 to 317 in 2023 (-6%), peaking at 660 applications in 2017. The most active applicants in class B64 are BOEING COMPANY (8,583 applications), AIRBUS OPERATIONS (3,430 applications) and AIRBUS OPERATIONS (2,757 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

lighter-than-air AIRCRAFTAIRSHIPSDIRIGIBLE(S)

1 direct subcode

Child Classifications

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Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B64, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. BOEING COMPANY US 8,583
  2. AIRBUS OPERATIONS DE 3,430
  3. AIRBUS OPERATIONS FR 2,757
  4. HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND US 2,332
  5. SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY COMPANY CN 2,109
  6. AIRBUS OPERATIONS GB 2,084
  7. GOODRICH CORPORATION US 2,053
  8. XI'AN AIRCRAFT DESIGN INSTITUTE OF AVIATION INDUSTRY CORPORATION OF CHINA 1,938
  9. BOEING COMPANY 1,816
  10. NANJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS 1,589