H
SECTION H — ELECTRICITY
 H

Note(s)

These Notes cover the basic principles and general instructions for use of section H.

  1. Section H covers:
    1. basic electric elements, which cover all electric units and the general mechanical structure of apparatus and circuits, including the assembly of various basic elements into what are called printed circuits and also cover to a certain extent the manufacture of these elements (when not covered elsewhere);
    2. generation of electricity, which covers the generation, conversion and distribution of electricity together with the controlling of the corresponding gear;
    3. applied electricity, which covers:
      1. general utilisation techniques, viz. those of electric heating and electric lighting circuits;
      2. some special utilisation techniques, either electric or electronic in the strict sense, which are not covered by other sections of the Classification, including:
        1. electric light sources, including lasers;
        2. electric X-ray technique;
        3. electric plasma technique and the generation and acceleration of electrically charged particles or neutrons;
    4. basic electronic circuits and their control;
    5. radio or electric communication technique;
    6. the use of a specified material for the manufacture of the article or element described. In this connection, paragraphs 88 to 90 of the Guide should be referred to.
  2. In this section, the following general rules apply:
    1. Subject to the exceptions stated in I(c), above, any electric aspect or part peculiar to a particular operation, process, apparatus, object or article, classified in one of the sections of the Classification other than section H, is always classified in the subclass for that operation, process, apparatus, object or article. Where common characteristics concerning technical subjects of similar nature have been brought out at class level, the electric aspect or part is classified, in conjunction with the operation, process, apparatus, object or article, in a subclass which covers entirely the general electrical applications for the technical subject in question;
    2. The electrical applications referred to under (a), above, either general or particular, include:
      1. the therapeutic processes and apparatus, in class A61;
      2. the electric processes and apparatus used in various laboratory or industrial operations, in classes B01 and B03 and in subclass B23K;
      3. the electricity supply, electric propulsion and electric lighting of vehicles in general and of particular vehicles, in the subsection "Transporting" of section B;
      4. the electric ignition systems of internal-combustion engines, in subclass F02P, and of combustion apparatus in general, in subclass F23Q;
      5. the whole electrical part of section G, i.e. measuring devices including apparatus for measuring electric variables, checking, signalling and calculating. Electricity in that section is generally dealt with as a means and not as an end in itself;
    3. All electrical applications, both general and particular, presuppose that the "basic electricity" aspect appears in section H (see I(a) above) as regards the electric "basic elements" which they comprise. This rule is also valid for applied electricity, referred to in I(c), above, which appears in section H itself.
  3. In this section, the following special cases occur:
    1. Among the general applications covered by sections other than section H, it is worth noting that electric heating in general is covered by subclasses F24D or F24H or class F27, and that electric lighting in general is partly covered by class F21, since in section H (see I(c), above) there are places in H05B which cover the same technical subjects;
    2. In the two cases referred to under (a), above, the subclasses of section F, which deal with the respective subjects, essentially cover in the first place the whole mechanical aspect of the apparatus or devices, whereas the electrical aspect, as such, is covered by subclass H05B;
    3. In the case of lighting, this mechanical aspect should be taken to cover the material arrangement of the various electric elements, i.e., their geometrical or physical position in relation to one another; this aspect is covered by subclass F21V, the elements themselves and the primary circuits remaining in section H. The same applies to electric light sources, when combined with light sources of a different kind. These are covered by subclass H05B, whereas the physical arrangement which their combination constitutes is covered by the various subclasses of class F21;
    4. As regards heating, not only the electric elements and circuitry designs, as such, are covered by subclass H05B, but also the electric aspects of their arrangement, where these concern cases of general application; electric furnaces being considered as such. The physical disposition of the electric elements in furnaces is covered by section F. If a comparison is made with electric welding circuits, which are covered by subclass B23K in connection with welding, it can be seen that electric heating is not covered by the general rule stated in II, above.

 H02
GENERATION, CONVERSION, OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
 H02N
ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
 H02N

Note(s)

  1. This subclass covers:
    • electrostatic generators, motors, clutches, or holding devices;
    • other non-dynamo-electric generators or motors;
    • holding or levitation devices using magnetic attraction or repulsion;
    • arrangements for starting, regulating, braking, or otherwise controlling such machines unless in conjoint operation with a second machine.
  2. Attention is drawn to the Notes following the titles of class B81 and subclass B81B relating to "micro-structural devices" and "micro-structural systems". [7]
  3. Specific provision for generators, motors, or other means for converting between electric and other forms of energy also exists in other subclasses, e.g. in subclasses H01L, H01M, H02K, H04R.
 H02N
Subclass index
GENERATORS, MOTORS
With electrostatic effect 1/00
Generators using thermal ionisation and removal of charge; electric motors using thermal effects 3/00; 10/00
With conversion of light radiation into electrical energy 6/00
Others 11/00
ELECTRIC MACHINES IN GENERAL USING PIEZO-ELECTRIC EFFECT, ELECTROSTRICTION OR MAGNETOSTRICTION 2/00
ELECTROSTATIC CLUTCHES OR HOLDING DEVICES 13/00
MAGNETIC HOLDING OR LEVITATING DEVICES 15/00
SUBJECT MATTER NOT PROVIDED FOR IN OTHER GROUPS OF THIS SUBCLASS 99/00
P:10 H02N 1/00
Electrostatic generators or motors using a solid moving electrostatic charge carrier
P:0 H02N 2/00
Electric machines in general using piezo-electric effect, electrostriction or magnetostriction (generating mechanical vibrations in general B06B; piezo-electric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements in general H01L 41/00)  [4]
 H02N 2/02
·  producing linear motion, e.g. actuators; Linear positioners  [6]
 H02N 2/10
·  producing rotary motion, e.g. rotary motors  [6]
 H02N 2/18
·  producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01)  [6]
P:20 H02N 3/00
Generators in which thermal or kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by ionisation of a fluid and removal of the charge therefrom (discharge tubes functioning as thermionic generators H01J 45/00)  [3]
P:30 H02N 6/00
Generators in which light radiation is directly converted into electrical energy (solar cells or assemblies thereof H01L 25/00, H01L 31/00)  [4]
P:40 H02N 10/00
Electric motors using thermal effects  [3]
P:50 H02N 11/00
Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means (by hydrostatic pressure F03B 17/00; by dynamo-electric means H02K 53/00)
P:60 H02N 13/00
Clutches or holding devices using electrostatic attraction, e.g. using Johnson-Rahbek effect
P:70 H02N 15/00
Holding or levitation devices using magnetic attraction or repulsion, not otherwise provided for (electric or magnetic devices for holding work on machine tools B23Q 3/15; sliding or levitation devices for railway systems B61B 13/08; material handling devices associated with conveyers incorporating devices with electrostatic or magnetic grippers B65G 47/92; separating thin or filamentary articles from piles using magnetic force B65H 3/00; delivering thin or filamentary articles from magnetic holders by air blast or suction B65H 29/24; bearings using magnetic or electric supporting means F16C 32/04; relieving bearing loads using magnetic means F16C 39/00; magnets H01F 7/00; dynamo-electric clutches or brakes H02K 49/00)  [3]
P:80 H02N 99/00
Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass  [8]