MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES

Classification Context

Section:: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Class:: MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES

Description

This class encompasses general-purpose machines and engines, including steam engines and their associated plant systems. It covers the fundamental mechanical principles, components, and operational characteristics of prime movers that convert energy into mechanical work, regardless of their specific energy source or application field. The class includes steam engine design, thermodynamic cycles, engine control systems, and supporting infrastructure for engine installations. Excluded are specialized engines and machines classified in more specific mechanical engineering classes (F02–F16) and applications requiring additional technical subject matter from other sections of IPC.

Filing statistics

IPC F01 recorded 361,626 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 8 subclasses. Annual filings declined from 33,380 in 2013 to 24,103 in 2023 (-28%), peaking at 37,632 applications in 2016. The most active applicants in class F01 are GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) (8,496 applications), UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (UTC) (7,291 applications) and SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES (5,503 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Related Keywords

AIR pumpsBLADES for turbines or non-positive displacement pumpsBLOWERS [= pumps]internal COMBUSTION engines[= pumps]COOLING of engines or pumpsarrangements and adaptations of CYLINDER(S) peculiar to engines or pumpsENGINE(S)exhausters [= pumps]FAN(S) [= pumps]GAS(ES) engines or pumpsHYDRAULIC(S) engines or pumpsINTERNAL -combustionLIQUID(S) engines or pumpsLUBRICATION of engines or pumpsMOTOR(S) [= engines]PISTON(S) engines or pumpsPISTON(S) peculiar to engines or pumps(3) power PLANT(S) [= engines]PNEUMATIC(S) pumpsPOWER plant [= engines]PRIME MOVERS [= engines](1) PUMPS for fluidsROTARY -piston engines or pumpsSTARTING of enginesSTEAM enginesTURBINESarrangements or adaptations of VALVES peculiar to engines or pumpsengines

8 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open

F01B MACHINES OR ENGINES, IN GENERAL OR OF POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE, e.g. STEAM ENGINES
F01C ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES
F01D NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
F01K STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
F01L CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
F01M LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING
F01N GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
F01P COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 8,496
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (UTC) US 7,291
SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES FR 5,503
TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION 4,556
SIEMENS DE 3,992
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY KR 3,929
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION US 3,534
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES US 3,407
TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION JP 3,042
WEICHAI POWER COMPANY 2,888