Section A: Human Necessities

~12,952,438

Applications (2013–2023)

PATSTAT worldwide

Classes

Subclasses

1,282

Main Groups

9,906

IPC

29,967

CPC

Description

Section A encompasses technologies and inventions directly related to fundamental human needs, including food, beverages, tobacco, personal hygiene, healthcare, clothing, and shelter. It covers agricultural processes, food preparation and preservation, medical treatments and devices, pharmaceuticals, and domestic appliances. This broad section serves as the foundation for classifying inventions that improve human welfare, sustenance, and quality of life across diverse industries from agriculture to medicine to consumer goods.

Visualizations

Size of each class by number of subgroups

Classes in section A by descendant count
Class	Title	Descendants
A01	AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING	3,024
A21	BAKING; EDIBLE DOUGHS	282
A22	BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH	239
A23	FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES	2,110
A24	TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES	442
A41	WEARING APPAREL	647
A42	HEADWEAR	149
A43	FOOTWEAR	717
A44	HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY	400
A45	HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES	849
A46	BRUSHWARE	262
A47	FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL	3,705
A61	MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE	13,557
A62	LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING	335
A63	SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS	3,526
A99	SUBJECT MATTER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION	2

IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 16 subcodes exist in both systems.

2 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.

Child Classifications

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A01 AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A21 BAKING; EDIBLE DOUGHS heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A22 BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A23 FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES heading +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A24 TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A41 WEARING APPAREL heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A42 HEADWEAR heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A43 FOOTWEAR heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A44 HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY heading +1 CPC IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A45 HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A46 BRUSHWARE heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A47 FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A61 MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A62 LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A63 SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
A99 SUBJECT MATTER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC

Top Applicants

Top Applicants (IPC)

Section A,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

SANKYO 23,899
SANYO PRODUCT COMPANY 23,718
CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 20,489
PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NL 19,765
L'OREAL FR 15,563
NOVARTIS CH 14,253
COVIDIEN US 13,953
ZHEJIANG SUPOR 13,571
DAIICHI SHOKAI COMPANY 13,338
PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS CH 13,201

Top Applicants (CPC)

Section A,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NL 22,446
L'OREAL FR 17,113
PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS CH 15,849
NOVARTIS CH 15,792
ROCHE CH 14,303
COVIDIEN US 13,862
HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 13,454
P&G (PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY) US 13,286
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 12,798
OLYMPUS CORPORATION JP 9,894