EPO - Principal Directorate Patent Grant Automation - Directorate Classification
Subject: Packaging Articles or
Materials
Project: A034
Consolidated Definitions
IPC range: B65B
26 April 2011
Title – B65B9/00
Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat,
folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to
form packages
Definition statement
This group covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in
flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material or for subdividing filled flexible tubes
to form packages. Quantities of material comprise for example volumes of liquid or other
fluent material or masses or numbers of small objects, distinct from separate or individual
articles.
References relevant to classification in this group
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:
combinations of cutting and packaging machines specially
adapted for sugar
C13B 45/02
packaging of ammunition or explosive charges
F42B 39/00
Special rules of classification within this main group
For subgroups B65B 9/067 and B65B 9/073, B65B 9/087 and B65B 9/093, B65B 9/207 and
B65B 9/213 multiple classification is applied. If an invention involves both, continuous and
intermittent web motion defined by these pairs of subgroups, it is classified in both of these
subgroups.
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
machinery characterised by making rectangular envelopes or
bags of flat form
B31B 19/00
inserting documents in prepared envelopes and closing the latter
B43M 3/00,
B43M 5/00
packages comprising articles or materials wholly enclosed in
tubes or webs of flexible sheet material
B65D 75/00
Synonyms and Keywords
In patent documents the following abbreviations are often used:
HFFS
VFFS
Horizontal Form-Fill-Seal
Vertical Form-Fill-Seal
Title – B65B9/02
Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, between opposed webs
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material,
between opposed webs.
Title – B65B9/06
Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or
in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in
a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of
material placed upon it.
Longitudinal folding can comprise a plurality of folds, e.g. providing gussets.
Typically, the articles or quantities of material are placed upon a horizontally travelling web
and are fed in a direction with a component in the web conveying direction.
The longitudinal sealing edges of the folded web can be located anywhere around the web
conveying direction, e.g. laterally or above the articles or quantities of material placed upon a
horizontally travelling web.
Special rules of classification within this group
For subgroups B65B 9/067 and B65B 9/073 multiple classification is applied. If an invention
involves both, continuous and intermittent web motion, it is classified in both groups B65B
9/067 and B65B 9/073.
Synonyms and Keywords
In patent documents the following abbreviations are often used:
Horizontal Form-Fill-Seal
HFFS
Title – B65B9/067
the web advancing continuously (B66B9/08 takes precedence)
Definition statement
This group covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in
a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of
material placed upon it, whereby the web advances continuously.
Glossary of terms
In this subgroup, the following terms (or expressions) are used with the meaning indicated:
advancing
continuously
advancing with a velocity always greater than zero, whereby the
velocity can be constant or variable
Title – B65B9/073
the web having intermittent motion (B66B9/08 takes precedence)
Definition statement
This group covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material,
e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about
the articles or quantities of material placed upon it, whereby the web has an intermittent
motion.
Glossary of terms
In this subgroup, the following terms (or expressions) are used with the meaning indicated:
intermittent
motion
advancing with intermediate periods of standstill, with a stop and
go movement where the velocity temporarily is equal to zero
Title – B65B9/08
in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled
and then closed by sealing
Definition statement
This group covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in
a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then
closed by sealing.
Special rules of classification within this group
For subgroups B65B 9/087 and B65B 9/093 multiple classification is applied. If an invention
involves both, continuous and intermittent web motion, it is classified in both groups B65B
9/087 and B65B 9/093.
Title – B65B9/087
the web advancing continuously
Definition statement
This group covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material,
e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are
subsequently filled and then closed by sealing, whereby the web advances continuously.
Glossary of terms
In this subgroup, the following terms (or expressions) are used with the meaning indicated:
advancing
continuously
advancing with a velocity always greater than zero, whereby the
velocity can be constant or variable
Title – B65B9/093
the web having intermittent motion
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material,
e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are
subsequently filled and then closed by sealing, whereby the web has an intermittent motion.
Glossary of terms
In this subgroup, the following terms (or expressions) are used with the meaning indicated:
intermittent
motion
advancing with intermediate periods of standstill, with a stop and
go movement where the velocity temporarily is equal to zero
Title – B65B9/10
Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in
webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material,
e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around
filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs.
References relevant to classification in this group
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:
Sausage-making
Title – B65B9/20
the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
A22C 11/00
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in
webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles.
Typically, the tube and the filling nozzle extend along a vertical axis.
Special rules of classification within this group
For subgroups B65B 9/207 and B65B 9/213 multiple classification is applied. If an invention
involves both, continuous and intermittent web motion, it is classified in both groups B65B
9/207 and B65B 9/213.
Synonyms and Keywords
In patent documents the following abbreviations are often used:
Vertical Form-Fill-Seal
VFFS
Title – B65B9/207
the web advancing continuously (B66B9/22 takes precedence)
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in
webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles, whereby the web advances
continuously.
Glossary of terms
In this subgroup, the following terms (or expressions) are used with the meaning indicated:
advancing
continuously
advancing with a velocity always greater than zero, whereby the
velocity can be constant or variable
Title – B65B9/213
the web having intermittent motion (B66B9/22 takes precedence)
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in
webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles, whereby the web has an
intermittent motion.
Glossary of terms
In this subgroup, the following terms (or expressions) are used with the meaning indicated:
intermittent
motion
advancing with intermediate periods of standstill, with a stop and
go movement where the velocity temporarily is equal to zero
Title – B65B9/22
Forming shoulders; Tube formers
Definition statement
This subgroup covers:
Machines, apparatus, or methods for forming shoulders when enclosing successive articles, or
quantities of material in webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles.
Tube formers for forming webs into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles, when enclosing
successive articles, or quantities of material, therein.