C12L PITCHING OR DEPITCHING MACHINES; CELLAR TOOLS
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- Class:
- BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
- Subclass:
- PITCHING OR DEPITCHING MACHINES; CELLAR TOOLS
Description
C12L covers machinery and hand tools specifically designed for wine and beer production processes, particularly those used for removing or adding yeast and sediment during fermentation and clarification stages. This subclass includes pitching machines (equipment for introducing yeast cultures into fermentation vessels) and depitching machines (apparatus for separating and removing spent yeast and sediment from finished beverages). The classification also encompasses general cellar tools and equipment used in winery and brewery operations that facilitate beverage processing and quality control. Adjacent classes handle the broader biochemical and fermentation processes themselves (C12C, C12H), while C12L focuses on the mechanical implements and apparatus that enable these processes.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass C12L recorded 530 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 51 in 2013 to 48 in 2023 (-6%), peaking at 81 applications in 2019. The most active applicants in class C12 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (10,330 applications), HARVARD UNIVERSITY (7,308 applications) and UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (6,383 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
C12L ranks 11th of 12 subclasses with filings in C12, with 530 applications between 2013 and 2023, 0.0% of the class. Annual filings declined 6% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+59%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C12N, Microorganisms or Enzymes; Compositions Thereof; Propagating, Preserving, or Maintaining Microorganisms; Mutation or Genetic Engineering; Culture Media | Microorganisms or Enzymes; Compositions Thereof; Propagating, Preserving, or Maintaining Microorganisms; Mutation or Genetic Engineering; Culture Media | 650,624 | 45.3% |
| 2 | C12Q, Measuring or Testing Processes Involving Enzymes, Nucleic Acids or Microorganisms; Compositions or Test Papers Therefor; Processes of Preparing Such Compositions; Condition-Responsive Control in Microbiological or Enzymological Processes | Measuring or Testing Processes Involving Enzymes, Nucleic Acids or Microorganisms; Compositions or Test Papers Therefor; Processes of Preparing Such Compositions; Condition-Responsive Control in Microbiological or Enzymological Processes | 266,123 | 18.5% |
| 3 | C12M, Apparatus for Enzymology or Microbiology | Apparatus for Enzymology or Microbiology | 171,419 | 11.9% |
| 4 | C12P, Fermentation or Enzyme-Using Processes to Synthesise a Desired Chemical Compound or Composition or to Separate Optical Isomers From a Racemic Mixture | Fermentation or Enzyme-Using Processes to Synthesise a Desired Chemical Compound or Composition or to Separate Optical Isomers From a Racemic Mixture | 146,875 | 10.2% |
| 5 | C12R, Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , Relating to Microorganisms | Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , Relating to Microorganisms | 119,798 | 8.3% |
| 6 | C12G, Wine; Preparation Thereof; Alcoholic Beverages; Preparation of Alcoholic Beverages Not Provided for in Subclasses or | Wine; Preparation Thereof; Alcoholic Beverages; Preparation of Alcoholic Beverages Not Provided for in Subclasses or | 46,945 | 3.3% |
| 7 | C12H, Pasteurisation, Sterilisation, Preservation, Purification, Clarification or Ageing of Alcoholic Beverages; Methods for Altering the Alcohol Content of Fermented Solutions or Alcoholic Beverages | Pasteurisation, Sterilisation, Preservation, Purification, Clarification or Ageing of Alcoholic Beverages; Methods for Altering the Alcohol Content of Fermented Solutions or Alcoholic Beverages | 14,580 | 1.0% |
| 8 | C12C, Beer; Preparation of Beer by Fermentation; Preparation of Malt for Making Beer; Preparation of Hops for Making Beer | Beer; Preparation of Beer by Fermentation; Preparation of Malt for Making Beer; Preparation of Hops for Making Beer | 10,159 | 0.7% |
| 9 | C12J, Vinegar; Preparation or Purification Thereof | Vinegar; Preparation or Purification Thereof | 7,047 | 0.5% |
| 10 | C12F, Recovery of By-Products of Fermented Solutions; Denatured Alcohol; Preparation Thereof | Recovery of By-Products of Fermented Solutions; Denatured Alcohol; Preparation Thereof | 873 | 0.1% |
| 11 | C12L | Pitching or Depitching Machines; Cellar Tools | 530 | 0.0% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Additional Content
Pitching coating barrels or casks with pitch Depitching removing the pitch
3 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- C12L 11/00 Cellar tools
- C12L 3/00 Pitching or depitching machines
- C12L 9/00 Venting devices for casks, barrels, or the like
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class C12, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 10,330
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 7,308
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 6,383
- JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 5,144
- MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY US 4,121
- PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL US 3,630
- REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS US 3,515
- CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE) FR 3,499
- INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE) FR 3,371
- CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION KR 3,361