F42 AMMUNITION; BLASTING
Classification Context
- Section:
- MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- Class:
- AMMUNITION; BLASTING
Description
F42 encompasses the design, manufacture, and function of ammunition and explosive devices used in firearms and blasting applications. This class covers cartridges, projectiles, propellant charges, detonators, fuses, and related components for small arms and larger weapons systems. It also includes blasting explosives, their initiation mechanisms, and techniques for controlled detonation in mining, construction, and demolition contexts. Adjacent classes address the weapons themselves (F41), while chemical explosives composition falls under C06B.
Filing statistics
IPC F42 recorded 55,985 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 3 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 3,620 in 2013 to 5,838 in 2023 (+61%), peaking at 6,278 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class F42 are RHEINMETALL WAFFE MUNITION (442 applications), DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (440 applications) and BAE SYSTEMS (422 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
3 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- RHEINMETALL WAFFE MUNITION DE 442
- DETNET SOUTH AFRICA ZA 440
- BAE SYSTEMS GB 422
- AGENCY FOR DEFENSE DEVELOPMENT KR 403
- HANWHA CORPORATION KR 388
- BEIJING INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 375
- RAYTHEON COMPANY US 341
- NANJING UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 284
- TRUE VELOCITY IP HOLDINGS US 264
- ANHUI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 243