IPC Definitions - January 01, 2012
F24F - Definition
This subclass covers:
Methods and apparatus for air-conditioning, i.e. the supply of air to rooms or spaces by means which provide for the treatment of the air in at least two of the following ways:
Methods and apparatus for humidification of air for rooms or spaces
Methods and apparatus for supplying air or extracting air from rooms or spaces, either by forced movement (for example by fans) or by natural effects (for example convection)
Methods and apparatus for circulating air within rooms or spaces, either by forced movement (for example by fans) or by natural effects (for example convection)
Methods and apparatus for use of air currents for screening, for example of entrances of buildings or of areas where particular operations are performed
Use of energy recovery systems in air conditioning, ventilation or screening
Details, for example control arrangements, safety arrangements, ducting arrangements or air flow control members, which are specially adapted for the methods or apparatus specified above
Relationship between large subject matter areas
As regards air-conditioning, air-humidification and ventilation, this subclass is an application-oriented place that covers methods or apparatus for these processes when specially adapted for rooms or spaces that are primarily intended as dwelling or working-spaces for human beings.
Air-treatment or ventilation that is specially adapted for particular processes or for other particular environments, for example for industrial processes or for housing of animals, is covered in the places for those processes or environments. For examples of such places see the section "Examples of places where the subject matter of this class is covered when specially adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system" below.
With the exception of humidification, this subclass does not cover the mere treatment of air being supplied to, extracted from, or circulated within, rooms or spaces. Such treatment of air in general, for example heating, cooling, heat-exchange or filtering, is covered in several different places of the IPC, see for example the entries under "Informative References" below.
This subclass does not cover elements or apparatus in general for transporting air or for regulating air flow, for example fans, ducts or valves. Such elements and apparatus are covered in several different places in the IPC, see for example the entries under "Informative References" below.
This subclass does not cover ventilation of garments or furniture or other devices, which is covered by the places for those devices, for example classes A41-A47 for garments and furniture and class H01 for electrical devices.
References relevant to classification in this subclass
This subclass does not cover:
Removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced | B08B 15/00 |
Vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings | E04F 17/02 |
Tops for ventilating shafts; Terminals for flues | F23L 17/02 |
Removing cooking fumes | F24C 15/20 |
Ventilating arrangements for forage silos | A01F 25/22 |
Devices for ventilating greenhouses | A01G 9/24 |
Ventilation in animal husbandry | A01K |
Controlling humidity in incubators for poultry | A01K 41/04 |
Treatment rooms with artificial climate for medical purposes | A61G 10/02, A61G 13/00 |
Devices for reconditioning breathing air in sealed rooms | A62B 11/00 |
Devices for ventilating gas-proof shelters | A62B 13/00 |
Containers or portable cabins for affording breathing protection with devices for reconditioning the breathing air or for ventilating | A62B 31/00 |
Dust-free rooms or enclosures for laboratories | B01L 1/04 |
Ventilation, air-conditioning, or cooling, specially adapted for passenger or goods spaces of vehicles | B60H |
Air curtains at doors or windows of vehicles | B60J 9/04 |
Ventilation of driving cabins or engine rooms of locomotives or motor railcars | B61C 17/04 |
Heating, cooling, ventilating, or air-conditioning, specially adapted for rail vehicles | B61D 27/00 |
Adaptations of ventilation, cooling, heating, or air-conditioning for submarines or other underwater vessels | B63G 8/36 |
Arrangements of ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning specially adapted for ships or other waterborne vessels | B63J 2/00 |
Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for crew, passenger or freight spaces in aircraft | B64D 13/00 |
Arrangements or adaptations of devices for treatment of the atmosphere in cosmonautic vehicles | B64G 1/46 |
Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means | D06F 58/10 |
Special arrangement or operation of ventilating devices in lavatories | E03D 9/04 |
Drying building constructions in general or keeping them dry, e.g. by air vents | E04B 1/70 |
Special adaptations of floors for incorporating ventilation ducts | E04B 5/48 |
Ceilings having means for ventilation | E04B 9/02 |
Ventilation of roof coverings | E04D 13/17 |
Ventilation of tents | E04H 15/10 |
Ventilation in doors or windows | E06B 7/02 |
Ventilation of mines or tunnels | E21F 1/00 |
Cooling or drying of air in mines or tunnels | E21F 3/00 |
Arrangements for supplying or controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects | F26B 21/00 |
Cooling, ventilating or heating of electric apparatus | H05K 7/20 |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Disinfecting or sterilising of air | A61L |
Filtering, washing or drying of gases | B01D |
Mixing gases with vapours or liquids in general | B01F 3/02 |
Transportable units for separating dispersed particles from air by electrostatic effect | B03C 3/32 |
Spraying | B05B, B05D |
Production of ozone | C01B 13/10 |
Heat, sound or noise insulation, absorption, or reflection | E04B 1/74 |
Air-ducts or air channels in buildings | E04F 17/04 |
Chimney stacks or similar ducts | E04H 12/28 |
Fans in general, details of fans | F04D |
Pumping installations for air | F04D 25/08, F04D 29/00 |
Valves in general | F16K |
Pipes in general, joints, fittings or supports therefor | F16L |
Noise absorbers for ducting | F16L 55/02 |
Thermal insulation for ducting | F16L 59/00 |
Devices for venting or aerating enclosures in general | F16K 24/00 |
Devices for conducting smoke or fumes, e.g. flues | F23J 11/00 |
Domestic stoves | F24B, F24C |
Hot air central heating systems | F24D 5/00 |
Air heaters having heat generating means | F24H 3/00 |
Refrigeration in general, details of refrigeration systems | F25B |
Combined heating and refrigeration systems | F25B 29/00 |
Production, working, storing or distribution of ice | F25C |
Cold rooms | F25D |
Heat exchange apparatus in general, details of heat exchangers | F28C, F28D, F28F |
Measuring temperature or quantity of heat in general | G01K |
Testing apparatus not otherwise provided for | G01M |
Control of flow in general | G05D 7/00 |
Control of humidity in general | G05D 22/00 |
Control of temperature in general | G05D 23/00 |
Ion sources | H01J 27/02, H01J 37/08 |
Arrangements for cooling, heating or ventilation of semiconductor or other solid state devices | H01L 23/34, H01L 31/024 |
Generating ions to be introduced into non-enclosed gases | H01T 23/00 |
Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems in general | H04Q 9/00 |
Special rules of classification
Air-humidification as auxiliary treatment in air-conditioning, i.e. in units wherein the air is also either cooled or heated, is covered by groups F24F 1/00 or F24F 3/14, while air-humidification per se, e.g. "room humidifiers", is covered by group F24F 6/00.
In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Air-conditioning | Supply of air to rooms or spaces by means which provide for the treatment of the air in at least two of the following ways: Heating Cooling Any other kind of treatment, e.g. humidification |
Ventilation | Supply of air to rooms or spaces, extraction of air from rooms or spaces, or circulation of air within rooms or spaces |