Section F: Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
~8,163,087
Applications (2013–2023)
PATSTAT worldwide
19
Classes
103
Subclasses
1,510
Main Groups
9,609
IPC
28,141
CPC
Description
Section F encompasses mechanical engineering disciplines and related technologies that convert energy into motion or mechanical work. It covers a broad range of industrial applications including engines, turbines, pumps, compressors, mechanical transmission systems, and fluid handling equipment. The section also includes auxiliary technologies such as lighting devices, heating systems, weapons, and blasting equipment. This section excludes electrical engineering (Class H) and chemical processes unrelated to mechanical operation, focusing instead on the mechanical principles and physical systems underlying these diverse technological fields.
Visualizations
Size of each class by number of subgroups
| Class | Title | Descendants |
|---|---|---|
| F01 | MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES | 2,187 |
| F02 | COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS | 3,467 |
| F03 | MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR | 698 |
| F04 | POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS | 1,905 |
| F05 | INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04 | 1,399 |
| F15 | FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL | 728 |
| F16 | ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL | 7,600 |
| F17 | STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS | 651 |
| F21 | LIGHTING | 977 |
| F22 | STEAM GENERATION | 467 |
| F23 | COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES | 1,679 |
| F24 | HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING | 1,744 |
| F25 | REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES | 1,522 |
| F26 | DRYING | 326 |
| F27 | FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS | 892 |
| F28 | HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL | 662 |
| F41 | WEAPONS | 1,010 |
| F42 | AMMUNITION; BLASTING | 530 |
| F99 | SUBJECT MATTER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION | 2 |
Classification entries by hierarchy level
Of 19 combined children, 18 exist in both systems.
1 codes are CPC-only extensions.
4 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.
Child Classifications
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- F01 MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- F02 COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- F03 MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- F04 POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- F05 INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04 heading +3 CPC CPC only CPC only
- F15 FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- F16 ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- F25 REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
- F99 SUBJECT MATTER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION heading IPC+CPC Available in IPC and CPC
Top Applicants
Top Applicants (IPC)
Section F,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES 34,236
- HAIER SMART HOME 32,098
- MIDEA 31,650
- TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION 28,871
- SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES & COMPANY DE 22,525
- GUANGDONG MIDEA REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT COMPANY 20,870
- GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 19,606
- ROBERT BOSCH DE 19,178
- LG ELECTRONICS KR 18,896
- HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY KR 15,474
Top Applicants (CPC)
Section F,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 44,344
- SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES & COMPANY DE 26,416
- UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION (UTC) US 25,142
- LG ELECTRONICS KR 23,334
- ROBERT BOSCH DE 21,386
- TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION JP 21,222
- HAIER SMART HOME 20,416
- SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES FR 17,883
- HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY KR 17,853
- GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES 16,857
Classes in section F
F01 Machines or Engines in General; Engine Plants in General; Steam Engines
- 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
F02 Combustion Engines; Hot-Gas or Combustion-Product Engine Plants
- F02B Internal-Combustion Piston Engines; Combustion Engines in General
- F02C Gas-Turbine Plants; Air Intakes for Jet-Propulsion Plants; Controlling Fuel Supply in Air-Breathing Jet-Propulsion Plants
- F02D Controlling Combustion Engines
- F02F Cylinders, Pistons, or Casings for Combustion Engines; Arrangements of Sealings in Combustion Engines
- F02G Hot-Gas or Combustion-Product Positive-Displacement Engine Plants; Use of Waste Heat of Combustion Engines, Not Otherwise Provided for
- F02K Jet-Propulsion Plants
- F02M Supplying Combustion Engines in General With Combustible Mixtures or Constituents Thereof
- F02N Starting of Combustion Engines; Starting Aids for Such Engines, Not Otherwise Provided for
- F02P Ignition, Other Than Compression Ignition, for Internal-Combustion Engines; Testing of Ignition Timing in Compression-Ignition Engines
-
- F03B Machines or Engines for Liquids
- F03C Positive-Displacement Engines Driven by Liquids
- F03D Wind Motors
- F03G Spring, Weight, Inertia, or Like Motors; Mechanical-Power-Producing Devices or Mechanisms, Not Otherwise Provided for or Using Energy Sources Not Otherwise Provided for
- F03H Producing a Reactive Propulsive Thrust, Not Otherwise Provided for
F04 Positive-Displacement Machines for Liquids; Pumps for Liquids or Elastic Fluids
- F04B Positive-Displacement Machines for Liquids; Pumps
- F04C Rotary-Piston, or Oscillating-Piston, Positive-Displacement Machines for Liquids; Rotary-Piston, or Oscillating-Piston, Positive-Displacement Pumps
- F04D Non-Positive-Displacement Pumps
- F04F Pumping of Fluid by Direct Contact of Another Fluid or by Using Inertia of Fluid to Be Pumped; Siphons
F15 Fluid-Pressure Actuators; Hydraulics or Pneumatics in General
- F15B Systems Acting by Means of Fluids in General; Fluid-Pressure Actuators, e.g. Servomotors; Details of Fluid-Pressure Systems, Not Otherwise Provided for
- F15C Fluid-Circuit Elements Predominantly Used for Computing or Control Purposes
- F15D Fluid Dynamics, i.e. Methods or Means for Influencing the Flow of Gases or Liquids
-
- F16B Devices for Fastening or Securing Constructional Elements or Machine Parts Together, e.g. Nails, Bolts, Circlips, Clamps, Clips or Wedges; Joints or Jointing
- F16C Shafts; Flexible Shafts; Mechanical Means for Transmitting Movement in a Flexible Sheathing; Elements of Crankshaft Mechanisms; Pivots; Pivotal Connections; Rotary Engineering Elements Other Than Gearing, Coupling, Clutch or Brake Elements; Bearings
- F16D Couplings for Transmitting Rotation; Clutches; Brakes
- F16F Springs; Shock-Absorbers; Means for Damping Vibration
- F16G Belts, Cables, or Ropes, Predominantly Used for Driving Purposes; Chains; Fittings Predominantly Used Therefor
- F16H Gearing
- F16J Pistons; Cylinders; Pressure Vessels in General; Sealings
- F16K Valves; Taps; Cocks; Actuating-Floats; Devices for Venting or Aerating
- F16L Pipes; Joints or Fittings for Pipes; Supports for Pipes, Cables or Protective Tubing; Means for Thermal Insulation in General
- F16M Frames, Casings or Beds of Engines, Machines or Apparatus, Not Specific to Engines, Machines or Apparatus Provided for Elsewhere; Stands; Supports
- F16N Lubricating
- F16P Safety Devices in General
- F16S Constructional Elements in General; Structures Built-Up From Such Elements, in General
- F16T Steam Traps or Like Apparatus for Draining-Off Liquids From Enclosures Predominantly Containing Gases or Vapours
-
- F21H Incandescent Mantles; Other Incandescent Bodies Heated by Combustion
- F21K Non-Electric Light Sources Using Luminescence; Light Sources Using Electrochemiluminescence; Light Sources Using Charges of Combustible Material; Light Sources Using Semiconductor Devices as Light-Generating Elements; Light Sources Not Otherwise Provided for
- F21L Lighting Devices or Systems Thereof, Being Portable or Specially Adapted for Transportation
- F21S Non-Portable Lighting Devices; Systems Thereof; Vehicle Lighting Devices Specially Adapted for Vehicle Exteriors
- F21V Functional Features or Details of Lighting Devices or Systems Thereof; Structural Combinations of Lighting Devices With Other Articles, Not Otherwise Provided for
- F21W Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , , and , Relating to Uses or Applications of Lighting Devices or Systems
- F21Y Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , , and , Relating to the Form or the Kind of the Light Sources or of the Colour of the Light Emitted
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- F22B Methods of Steam Generation; Steam Boilers
- F22D Preheating, or Accumulating Preheated, Feed-Water for Steam Generation; Feed-Water Supply for Steam Generation; Controlling Water Level for Steam Generation; Auxiliary Devices for Promoting Water Circulation Within Steam Boilers
- F22G Superheating of Steam
F23 Combustion Apparatus; Combustion Processes
- F23B Methods or Apparatus for Combustion Using Only Solid Fuel
- F23C Methods or Apparatus for Combustion Using Fluid Fuel or Solid Fuel Suspended in Air
- F23D Burners
- F23G Cremation Furnaces; Consuming Waste or Low Grade Fuels by Combustion
- F23H Grates; Cleaning or Raking Grates
- F23J Removal or Treatment of Combustion Products or Combustion Residues; Flues
- F23K Feeding Fuel to Combustion Apparatus
- F23L Supplying Air or Non-Combustible Liquids or Gases to Combustion Apparatus in General; Valves or Dampers Specially Adapted for Controlling Air Supply or Draught in Combustion Apparatus; Inducing Draught in Combustion Apparatus; Tops for Chimneys or Ventilating Shafts; Terminals for Flues
- F23M Casings, Linings, Walls or Doors Specially Adapted for Combustion Chambers, e.g. Firebridges; Devices for Deflecting Air, Flames or Combustion Products in Combustion Chambers; Safety Arrangements Specially Adapted for Combustion Apparatus; Details of Combustion Chambers, Not Otherwise Provided for
- F23N Regulating or Controlling Combustion
- F23Q Ignition; Extinguishing Devices
- F23R Generating Combustion Products of High Pressure or High Velocity, e.g. Gas-Turbine Combustion Chambers
F24 Heating; Ranges; Ventilating
- F24B Domestic Stoves or Ranges for Solid Fuels; Implements for Use in Connection With Stoves or Ranges
- F24C Domestic Stoves or Ranges; Details of Domestic Stoves or Ranges, of General Application
- F24D Domestic- or Space-Heating Systems, e.g. Central Heating Systems; Domestic Hot-Water Supply Systems; Elements or Components Therefor
- F24F Air-Conditioning; Air-Humidification; Ventilation; Use of Air Currents for Screening
- F24H Fluid Heaters, e.g. Water or Air Heaters, Having Heat-Generating Means, e.g. Heat Pumps, in General
- F24S Solar Heat Collectors; Solar Heat Systems
- F24T Geothermal Collectors; Geothermal Systems
- F24V Collection, Production or Use of Heat Not Otherwise Provided for
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- F25B Refrigeration Machines, Plants or Systems; Combined Heating and Refrigeration Systems; Heat Pump Systems
- F25C Producing, Working or Handling Ice
- F25D Refrigerators; Cold Rooms; Ice-Boxes; Cooling or Freezing Apparatus Not Otherwise Provided for
- F25J Liquefaction, Solidification, or Separation of Gases or Gaseous Mixtures by Pressure and Cold Treatment
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- F28B Steam or Vapour Condensers
- F28C Heat-Exchange Apparatus, Not Provided for in Another Subclass, in Which the Heat-Exchange Media Come Into Direct Contact Without Chemical Interaction
- F28D Heat-Exchange Apparatus, Not Provided for in Another Subclass, in Which the Heat-Exchange Media Do Not Come Into Direct Contact; Heat Storage Plants or Apparatus in General
- F28F Details of Heat-Exchange or Heat-Transfer Apparatus, of General Application
- F28G Cleaning of Internal or External Surfaces of Heat-Exchange or Heat-Transfer Conduits, e.g. Water Tubes of Boilers
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- F41A Functional Features or Details Common to Both Smallarms and Ordnance, e.g. Cannons; Mountings for Smallarms or Ordnance
- F41B Weapons for Projecting Missiles Without Use of Explosive or Combustible Propellant Charge; Weapons Not Otherwise Provided for
- F41C Smallarms, e.g. Pistols or Rifles; Accessories Therefor
- F41F Apparatus for Launching Projectiles or Missiles From Barrels, e.g. Cannons; Launchers for Rockets or Torpedoes; Harpoon Guns
- F41G Weapon Sights; Aiming
- F41H Armour; Armoured Turrets; Armoured or Armed Vehicles; Means of Attack or Defence, e.g. Camouflage, in General
- F41J Targets; Target Ranges; Bullet Catchers
F99 Subject Matter Not Otherwise Provided for in This Section