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IPC Subclass
H01T

SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES

Introduced: September 1968

Classification Context

Section:
ELECTRICITY
Class:
ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
Subclass:
SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES

Description

H01T encompasses electrical devices that generate controlled or protective electrical discharges in gases, including spark gaps for switching and overvoltage protection, ignition spark plugs for internal combustion engines, and corona discharge devices for ionization. This classification covers the design, construction, and operational principles of discharge electrodes, gap geometries, insulating materials, and triggering mechanisms used in these applications. It excludes gas discharge tubes with enclosed electrodes (covered by H01J) and arc discharge devices intended primarily for welding or cutting (covered by B23K). Typical technologies include automotive ignition systems, electrical surge protection devices, and industrial ionization equipment.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass H01T recorded 19,856 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 1,542 in 2013 to 1,440 in 2023 (-7%), peaking at 2,172 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class H01 are TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY (43,574 applications), SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY (42,206 applications) and LG CHEM (21,383 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings

Additional Content

Glossary

Spark gap spark gaps Enclosed or non-enclosed discharge device having cold electrodes and used exclusively to discharge a quantity of electrical energy in a small time duration

Application references

Overvoltage protection circuits using a spark gap Emergency protective circuit arrangements using spark gaps ,

Related Keywords

ARC(S) extinguishing in electric spark-gapselectric spark-gap ARRESTERSnon-enclosed DISCHARGE apparatusEXTINGUISHING of arcs in spark gapsspark-gap aspects of LIGHTNING arrestersMAGNETS used for extinguishing arcs in spark gapsgenerating electric OSCILLATIONS by spark-gapsspark-gap arresterselectric SPARK(S) -gapsSPARKING-PLUGS

12 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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  • H01T 11/00 Spark gaps specially adapted as rectifiers
  • H01T 14/00 Spark gaps not provided for in groups
  • H01T 15/00 Circuits specially adapted for spark gaps, e.g. ignition circuits
  • H01T 23/00 Apparatus for generating ions to be introduced into non-enclosed gases, e.g. into the atmosphere
  • H01T 7/00 Rotary spark gaps, i.e. devices having one or more rotating electrodes
  • H01T 9/00 Spark gaps specially adapted for generating oscillations

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class H01, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY TW 43,574
  2. SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY KR 42,206
  3. LG CHEM KR 21,383
  4. APPLIED MATERIALS US 20,441
  5. LG ENERGY SOLUTION KR 20,279
  6. SAMSUNG DISPLAY KR 19,725
  7. CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 19,400
  8. TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION 18,819
  9. SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 18,082
  10. TOKYO ELECTRON JP 17,634