IPC Revision WG – Definition Project
BR
Rapporteur Proposal ANNEX 12
Project: D144
Class/subclass: B22F
Date : 30, August 2010
BR is grateful to the US comments and JP remark. We fully agree with these comments and
did the corresponding modifications.
In relation to US comments about “technical effect” we rewrote the text to:
”B22F covers the making of metallic powder including a metal powder with specific physical
characteristics. Non-metal particles or inorganic compounds coated with metal as well as
metal particles coated with non-metals or inorganic compounds are classified in subclass
B22F. B22F covers powders containing a substantial proportion of non-metallic material. It
means that when the metal is in proportion relevant so that it could not be seen as a impurity
in the metallurgic process it must be classified in B22F. When the metal is present only as
impurity, or when the subject matter does not refer to the manufacturing process itself but
only refers to the use of it (e.g. dental implants using metal powder are classified in A61C
8/00), it is classified in the other places of IPC.”
Rockfeller Peçanha
Antonio Abrantes
Title – B22F
Working Metallic Powder; Manufacture of Articles from Metallic Powder;
Making Metallic Powder
Definition statement
This subclass covers

Special treatment of metallic powder, e.g. thermal, thermo-mechanical or
chemical treatments, making agglomerates, mixing with lubricants or binders.

Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterized by
the manner of compacting or sintering or by the special shape of the product;

Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic
powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting;

Manufacture of articles from scrap or waste metal particles;

Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical or chemical
processes;

Powder metallurgical apparatus or equipment specifically adapted therefor, e.g.
furnaces, retorts, sintering apparatus;

Metallic powders, per se., e.g. powder, mixture of powders or a mixture of a
powder with a lubricating or binding agent;
Relationship between large subject matter areas
B22F covers the making of metallic powder including a metal powder with specific physical
characteristics. Non-metal particles or inorganic compounds coated with metal as well as
metal particles coated with non-metals or inorganic compounds are classified in subclass
B22F. B22F covers powders containing a substantial proportion of non-metallic material. It
means that when the metal is in proportion relevant so that it could not be seen as a impurity
in the metallurgic process it must be classified in B22F. When the metal is present only as
impurity, or when the subject matter does not refer to the manufacturing process itself but
only refers to the use of it (e.g. dental implants using metal powder are classified in A61C
8/00), it is classified in the other places of IPC.
C22B 1/14 covers preliminary treatment of ores or scrap with organic or inorganic binders,
e.g., agglomerating; briquetting, granulating; sintering.
C22C 1/04; 33/02; 47/14 cover the making alloys by powder metallurgy using mixtures of
metal powder with non-metallic powder, fibers or filaments.
C22F covers changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment
or by hot or cold working, including special physical methods, e.g. treatment with neutrons.
C04B covers preparing or treating powders of inorganic compounds in preparation to the
manufacturing of ceramic products, e.g., C04B 35/622. When the proportion of metal in the
compound is sufficient to create a technical effect under the presence of an electrical field,
electric current, laser radiation or plasma, the subject matter is classified at B22F 3/105.
C08K covers use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding
ingredients, including metals as inorganic ingredient, e.g., C08K 5/56 organic compounds
containing a metal-to-carbon bond. These compounds are not considered metal per se.
B01J2/00 covers chemical or physical processes or devices for granulating materials in
general.
B02C covers crushing, grinding or milling in general.
References relevant to classification in this subclass
This subclass does not cover:
Making alloys by powder metallurgy
Making alloys from mixtures of metal powder with non-metallic
powder
C22C 1/04
C22C 1/05
Alloys based on metal compounds
C22C 29/00
Non-ferrous alloys containing other metal compounds
C22C 32/00
Making ferrous alloys by powder metallurgy
C22C 33/02
Making alloys containing metallic or non-metallic fibers or C22C 47/14
filaments by powder metallurgy
Examples of places where the subject matter of this subclass is covered when specially
adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system:
Making ceramics by compacting or sintering
C04B
Shaped ceramic products characterized by their composition
C04B 35/00
Burning or sintering process for ceramic compositions
C04B 35/64
Production or refining of metals; Pretreatment of raw materials
C22B
Sintering; Agglomerating for ores or scrap
C22B 1/16
Electrolytic production, recovery of refining of metal powder or
metal masses
C25C 5/00
Magnets made by metals or alloys in the form of particles, e.g. H01F 1/08; 1/22
powder, pressed, sintered or bound together
Cores made from powder
Devices using superconductivity
characterised by the material
H01F 3/08
or
hiperconductivity H01L 39/12
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Dental implants
A61C 8/00
Prostheses implantable into the body
A61F 2/02
Use of preparations for artificial teeth, for filling or for capping A61K 6/04
teeth
Materials for prostheses or for coating prostheses
A61L 27/04
Chemical or physical processes or devices for granulating B01J 2/00
materials in general
Crushing, grinding or milling in general
B02C
Disposal of solid waste
B09B
Mechanical metal-working
Metal parts in the mould of a casting process
B21C 23/00
B22D 23/00
Soldering or unsoldering; Welding; Cladding or plating by B23K
soldering or welding
Abrasive tools
B24D
Cutting tools
B26D, B26F
Presses specially adapted for forming articles from material in
particulate or plastic state
B30B 1/00
Layered products characterized by features of a layer formed of
particles, e.g. chips, chopped fibers, powder
B32B 5/16
Printing
B41J, B41M
Chemical aspects of powdering or granulating of
macromolecular substances
C08J 3/12
Compressing powdered coating material, e.g. by milling
C23C 24/06
Drilling tools
E21B 10/00,
E21B 11/00,
E21B 12/00
Parts of bearings; Use of special materials or surface treatments, F16C 33/12
e.g. for rust-proofing
Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic H01B 1/22
material
Magnets or magnetic bodies characterized by the magnetic
materials therefore; Selection of materials for their magnetic
properties in the form of particles, e.g. powder
H01F 1/20
Selection of the material for the legs of the junction comprising
metals only
Elements or alloys used in electrodes
H01L 35/20
Printed circuits
H05K
H01M 4/38
Special rules of classification within this subclass
NONE
Glossary
In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Compacting
join or press firmly together.
Metallic powder
covers powders which in additionto metals may contain
a substantial proportion of non-metallic material.
Powder
may include somewhat larger particles which are
worked, obtained or behave in a manner similar to
powder, e.g. fibers.
Sintering
coalesce or cause to coalesce from powder into solid by
heating.
Alloy
a composition of plural elements at least one of is free
metal. Also includes material containing any
combination of fibres, filaments, whiskers and particles,
e.g. carbides, diamond, oxides, borides, nitrides or
sulfides, embedded in a metallic matrix..
Furnace
covers kilns, ovens or retorts
Synonyms and Keywords
In patent documents the following words “apparatus”, “equipment” and “device” are often
used as synonyms.
In the case of areas related to recycling the following keywords “residue”, “waste”,
“remains”, “scrap”, “rejects” and “shred” would be useful to a searcher.
In patent documents the following keywords “compacting” and “compressing” would be
useful to a searcher.
Title – B22F 1/00
Special treatment of metallic powder, e.g. to facilitate working, to improve
properties; Metallic powders per se, e.g. mixtures of particles of different
composition
References relevant to classification in this subclass
Examples of places where the subject matter of this subclass is covered when specially
adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system:
Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metal powders
C25C 5/00
Title – B22F 3/00
Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised
by the manner of compacting or sintering; Apparatus specially adapted
therefor
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Mechanical metal-working
material; Punching metal
without
essentially
removing B21D
Forging; Hammering; Pressing; Forge Furnaces
B21J
Making forged or pressed products
B21K
Furnaces, Kilns, Ovens, or retorts in general; Open sintering or F27B
like apparatus
Title – B22F 7/02
Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising
metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting of
composite layers
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Layered products characterised by the relation between layers
B32B 7/00
Title – B22F 9/04
Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using physical processes
starting from solid material, e.g. by crushing, grinding or milling
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Processes or devices for granulating materials, in general
B01J 2/00
Title – B22F 9/26
Making metallic powder or suspensions thereof using chemical processes
with reduction of metal compounds starting from liquid metal compounds
using gaseous reductors
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Controlled atmosphere, or pulverulent material; Adjusting the C21D 1/76
composition of the atmosphere
Title – B22F 3/105
Sintering only by using electric current, laser radiation or plasma for the
manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
References relevant to classification in this subclass
This subclass does not cover:
Electric heating
Rockfeller M. Peçanha
Sílvia Loureiro
Antonio Abrantes
H05B