B22F - Definition

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 characterised 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 1/05; C22C 1/10; C22C 33/02; C22C 47/14 cover the making of alloys by powder metallurgy using mixtures of metal powder with non-metallic powder, fibres 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 powder is present not like as impurity in the compounds, it is classified at B22F.

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.

B01J 2/00 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:

Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Glossary of terms

In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:

Synonyms and Keywords

In patent documents the following terms "apparatus", "device" and "equipment" are often used as synonyms. Also, these terms can be used as keywords.