Classification is to set up categories according to the technical topics of documents, and there are generally two principles, one is called application principle and the other is called function principle.
The so-called application principle is to classify inventions according to their technical fields of application. It should be noted that the application principle does not pay attention to the function of the invention itself, but mainly considers the applicable department or object of the invention. For example, water guns for children, cleaning tools for car bodies, sprinkler irrigation equipment for agriculture, and spray guns for industrial nozzles. According to the principle of functional classification, they should be grouped together because their functions are the same. But from the application point of view, it will be divided into various categories, such as children's toys, auto parts, agricultural machinery and corresponding industries. The so-called functional principle is to classify inventions according to their technical functions and functions. It should be noted that the functional principle does not pay attention to where the invention is used, but only considers its technical function or function. For example, the water guns in the above example should be classified into the same category according to the functional principle-"fluid injection and diffusion", because their functions are to inject and diffuse fluid through a channel.
International patent classification adopts the principle of combining function with application and taking function as the center. The specific practices can be summarized as follows:
1. Function category and application category are set in the international patent classification table. For example, B0 1D (separation), F 16K (valve), F 16N (lubrication) and B0 1F (mixing) are typical functional classes; And F 16K3/36 (characteristics related to lubrication), F 16N 23/00 (special application of one-way valve), C05 (compound used as fertilizer) and C 1 1D (composition used for washing) belong to the application category. It should be noted that the above two categories may appear at any level of the classification table;
2. Classification method: When the use of an invention has nothing to do with a specific technical field, the invention should be classified as a functional category. For example, valves that can be used in many pipelines, universal separation devices, universal lubricants, universal material mixing methods, etc. On the other hand, if an invention involves a special purpose or application, it can be classified as an application category. For example, C05 and C 1 1D mentioned above. In addition, when an invention is between the two, such as involving a few specific fields, functional categories are generally considered first.
3. In order to ensure that every invention has a clear position in the classification table, some categories are not absolutely functional or applicable. For example, there are the following three categories: F 16B (general connecting structural elements), B60D (related to general vehicle connection) and B62D53/08 (steering wheel connection of tractor-trailer Cumberland). Comparatively speaking, F 16B should belong to the functional category, and B62D53/08 should belong to the application category, while B60D seems to have less functions than the former, but more functions than the latter. For example, there is no functional category of percussion instruments in the classification table, but under some application categories, there is a lower functional category dedicated to a certain purpose of percussion instruments. For example, A63B (golf club), B25D (hammer) and G 10D (drum stick).
4. There are also overlaps in category settings, that is, function categories may include lower-level categories of applications, and application categories may also include lower-level categories of functions. For example, under the functional category F 16K (valve), there are application categories F 16K3/36 (characteristics related to lubrication) and F 16N23/00 (special application of one-way valve) under F 16N (lubrication).
Second, the structure of international patent classification
1. The international patent classification adopts a hierarchical classification structure, which expands all technical fields step by step according to six levels-department, division, class, subclass, group and group, forming a complete classification system. For example, in the eighth edition, all technical fields are divided into 8 departments, 2 1 division, 120 categories, 628 subcategories, about 7,000 large groups and about 62,000 groups.
2. Classification system:
Departments, Categories, Subcategories and Groups
Eight departments:
1. A: Life needs.
2. part b: homework; transport
3. part c: chemistry; metallurgy
4. part d: textiles; make paper
5. Part E: Fixed buildings
6. Part F: Mechanical engineering; Lighting; Heating; Weapons; explosion
7. Part G: Physics
8. Part H: Electricity
After the class name of each department, there is a summary of the main subclasses of the department. There may be divisions under the department, but there is no classification number.
3. Category: consists of two digits.
For example: A0 1, agriculture; Forestry; Animal husbandry; Hunting; Trap; Catch fish
4. Subcategory: It consists of a capital letter.
For example: A0 1B, soil preparation for agriculture or forestry; Parts, components or accessories of general agricultural machinery or tools.
5. Large groups: each small category is subdivided into many groups, including large groups and small groups.
Large group: it consists of small class number plus one to three digits and "/00".
For example: A0 1B 1/00, hand tools.
6. Group: add a number of one to three digits to the small class number, followed by a "/"symbol.
Add two numbers that are not 00.
For example: A01b116, a tool for rooting out roots.