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Class 202 - Distillation: apparatus

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192 Subclasses


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Definition

GENERAL STATEMENT OF CLASS SUBJECT MATTER

This class includes all apparatus except as noted herein below for distillation of either solids or liquids, and associations of distillation apparatus and other apparatus adapted to prepare material for distillation. For the purposes of this classification distillation is defined as the volatilization of a substance for the purpose of recovering material from the vapor produced by condensation or absorption. The product obtained by condensation must be a liquid. Generally the volatile material separated existed as a definite chemical entity in the substance, but in the case of thermolytic distillation it may be formed from other compounds during and by the heating. The absence from the claims of means for performing condensation or absorption in an apparatus patent does not exclude it from this class if it is disclosed, evident or well known that the apparatus is designed to be used in connection with such a step.

When all claims are generic and the disclosure indicates that the apparatus is of wide utility, the patent is classified here (class 202) and cross-referenced to the classes disclosed. When the patent includes generic claims and the disclosure is limited to a class other than Class 202, the patent is classified in the class disclosed. When a patent contains generic distillation apparatus claims and species claims including a Class 202 species, see Lines With Other Classes, below.

For classification purposes in this class three forms of distillation are recognized, defined as follows:

Autothermic distillation, in which the distilland, either by combustion of a portion of itself or by other chemical change, furnishes at least part of the heat for thermolysis and volatilization of either the inherent or thermolized volatile matter.

Separatory distillation, in which the substances separated pre-exist in the material subjected to distillation, called herein the distilland, and are recovered usually without chemical change of composition.

Thermolytic distillation, in which a compound or compounds found in the distilland undergo chemical decomposition, thermolysis, and form different chemical compounds, at least some of which are volatile at the temperature employed, and can be recovered by condensation or absorption. In this are included coal, oil shale, peat, and wood distillation when the latter produces charcoal.

Lines with other classes and within this class

(A) DISTILLATION PROCESSES

Patents claiming a distillation process and claiming distillation apparatus of general utility within the purview of Class 202 are classified in the appropriate distillation process class and cross-referenced to this Class (202). See References to Other Classes, below, for processes including a distillation operation.

(B) DISTILLATION APPARATUS

Patents claiming distillation apparatus of general utility are classified here unless otherwise provided for.

(1) Class 34, Drying and Gas Vapor Contact With Solids, is distinguished from Class 202 in that in Class 34 the combination of means for removing an extraneous liquid from a solid and means for condensing vapor produced must leave the solid chemically unchanged. In Class 202 apparatus is utilized to chemically alter the solid being treated.

(2) Class 48, Gas: Heating and Illuminating, takes apparatus for making heating and illuminating gases. The line between the apparatus in this class (202) for thermolytic distillation and the apparatus in Class 48 is that the apparatus in Class 48 has no solid carbonaceous material left in the material acted upon.

(3) Class 62, Refrigeration, takes apparatus for vaporizing a liquid mixture having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure below 0°C. (32°F.) and condensing the vapor except as otherwise provided in the Class Definition of Class 62. When a patent contains claims to Class 62 apparatus and Class 202 apparatus, the patent is classified in Class 62 and cross-referenced to Class 202.

(4) Class 134, Cleaning and Liquid Contact With Solids, takes processes and apparatus for contacting solids with liquids for cleaning or any purpose not provided for in other classes. The combination of means for contacting a solid with a liquid and means for distilling the liquid is in Class 134. The subcombination of distilling apparatus of general utility is classified here (202).

(5) Class 435, Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology, takes processes for fermentation including a distillation operation and apparatus that is peculiar to, or specialized and designed for use in, processes classified in Class 435.

(6) Class 196, Mineral Oils: Apparatus, takes all patents drawn to apparatus for distilling mineral oil. When a patent contains claims to apparatus for distilling mineral oil and claims to apparatus for distilling within the purview of Class 202, the patent is classified in Class 202 and cross-referenced to Class 196.

(7) Class 266, Metallurgical Apparatus, takes apparatus for heating metalliferous material combined with means for condensing the vapor. The line between Class 202 and Class 266 is that Class 266 takes apparatus for distilling metals, such as mercury and zinc, from their ores.

(8) Class 588, Hazardous or Toxic Waste Destruction or Containment, a process class, subclass 900 for a cross-reference art collection of apparatus used in the destruction of hazardous or toxic waste.

C. EVAPORATING APPARATUS

Apparatus designed to heat material to remove vapor therefrom without condensing at least a portion of the vapor is excluded from Class 202. Some classes which provide for apparatus including means for concentrating or evaporating without necessarily including condensing means are listed in References to Other Classes, below.

 
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