IPC Definitions - January 01, 2012
B81C - Definition
This subclass covers:
Processes having one or more steps, or apparatus adapted for performing at least one step in such processes, with specialized features directly related to the manufacture or treatment of specific types of micro-sized products (e.g., typically within the range of 10-4 to 10-7 meters).
The manufacturing or treating of these micro-sized products must create a structural, as opposed to a purely chemical or electronic, feature that is essential to their use.
The types of micro-sized products that are manufactured or treated in this subclass consist of the following varieties:
Mechanical devices (i.e., micro-mechanical devices) which include at least one essential operational component that has all of the following attributes:
Three-dimensional structural formations (i.e., microstructures) that have all of the following attributes:
Systems including a discrete micro-mechanical device or microstructure and at least one other discrete micro-mechanical device, micro-electronic device, or microoptical device (e.g., Micro-Mechanical Systems, Micro-Electronic-Mechanical Systems/MEMS, Microoptical-Mechanical Systems) that have all of the following attributes:
Components of micro-mechanical devices or microstructures having specialized structural features that limit them to use with their device or structure.
Relationship between large subject matter areas
This class covers processes or apparatus for the manufacture or treatment of microstructures that perform a structural function when interacting with their local environment and are intentionally designed to specifically perform this type of task. This requirement precludes the classification of the manufacture or treatment of micro-sized structures per se within this subclass that either
However, processes or apparatus for chemically and biologically forming microstructures are classified in B81C when these microstructures are the primary intended product of their processes and the microstructures perform an appropriate structural function when interacting with their local environment.
Processes or apparatus for the manufacture or treatment of chemically and biologically formed micro-sized structures per se are classified in the subclasses of section C, "Chemistry; Metallurgy".
Processes or apparatus for the manufacture or treatment of micro-electronic devices and microoptical devices per se are classified in the subclasses of section H, "Electricity" even if they also inherently (e.g., a micro-sized wire between two substrates that supports the upper substrate), or intentionally (e.g., an aerodynamically shaped micro-processor for wings), accomplish a secondary structural function. The manufacture or treatment of micro-electronic devices and microoptical devices is found in particular in H01L (e.g. H01L 21/00) and H01P (e.g., H01P 11/00) respectively.
References relevant to classification in this subclass
This subclass does not cover:
Chemical or physical processes or relevant apparatus for making microcapsules or microballoons | B01J 13/02 |
Specially adapted processes or apparatus restricted to the manufacture or treatment of products that are essentially two-dimensional layered structures | B32B |
Specially adapted processes or apparatus involved in the manufacture of atomic scale structures produced by manipulation of atoms or molecules | B82B |
For processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of piezo-electric, electrostrictive, or magnetostrictive elements per se | H01L 41/22 |
For processes or apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture or treatment of wave-guide micro-strips | H01P 3/08 |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For processes or apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture or treatment of pressure sensors | G01L 9/00 |
For processes or apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture or treatment of acceleration measuring devices | G01P 15/00 |
For processes or apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture or treatment of micromanipulators structurally combined with microscopes | G02B 21/32 |
For photomechanical processing of semiconductor devices | G03F |
For processes or apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture or treatment of magnetic heads | G11B 5/127 |
In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Manufacture | a chemical, electrical, or mechanical process or apparatus for accomplishing one or more of the following operations on a micro-mechanical device, micro-structure, or micro system proper for this subclass: assembling, associating, bonding, casting, coating, constructing, creating, cutting, distorting, electric photographing, etching, fabricating, fastening, finishing, joining, juxtaposing, machining, molding, positioning, shaping, or working. |
Micro-electronic device | any kind of electronic device that has at least one essential operational component not visible without the use of an optical microscope. |
Microoptical device | any kind of optical device that has at least one essential operational component not visible without the use of an optical microscope. |
Micro-sized | having a dimension not visible without the use of an optical microscope (e.g., typically within the range of 10-4 to 10-7 meters). |
Structural function | effect of structural features of a microstructure on the mechanical properties of media in contact with the microstructure (e.g., directing of a sampled fluid's flow). |