Supporting the heads; Supporting the sockets for plug-in heads

Introduced: September 1968

Last revised: January 2006

Full Title

Head arrangements not specific to the method of recording or reproducing > Supporting the heads; Supporting the sockets for plug-in heads

Classification Context

Section:: PHYSICS
Class:: INFORMATION STORAGE
Subclass:: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER

Filing statistics

IPC G11B 21/16 belongs to the parent subclass G11B, which recorded 61,937 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 8,033 in 2013 to 4,203 in 2023 (-48%). The most active applicants in class G11 are MICRON TECHNOLOGY (10,574 applications), SK HYNIX (9,138 applications) and SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY (9,004 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

5 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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G11B 21/18 while the head is moving
G11B 21/2 while the head is in operative position but stationary or permitting minor movements to follow irregularities in surface of record carrier
G11B 21/22 while the head is out of operative position
G11B 21/24 Head support adjustments
G11B 21/26 Means for interchange or replacement of head or head element

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class G11, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

MICRON TECHNOLOGY US 10,574
SK HYNIX KR 9,138
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 9,004
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY TW 3,739
IBM (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION) US 3,443
INTEL CORPORATION US 2,952
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES US 2,905
WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES US 2,630
TOSHIBA CORPORATION JP 2,593
SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY US 2,472