US PATENT SUBCLASS 516 / 10
.~ Having discontinuous gas or vapor phase, i.e., foam

Current as of: June, 1999
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516 /   HD   COLLOID SYSTEMS AND WETTING AGENTS; SUBCOMBINATIONS THEREOF; PROCESSES OF

9  DF  CONTINUOUS LIQUID OR SUPERCRITICAL PHASE: COLLOID SYSTEMS; COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING AN AGENT FOR MAKING OR STABILIZING COLLOID SYSTEMS; PROCESSES OF MAKING OR STABILIZING COLLOID SYSTEMS; PROCESSES OF PREPARING THE COMPOSITIONS (E.G., THICKENING AGENT; PROTECTIVE COLLOID AGENT; COMPOSITION CONTAINING AN EMULSIFYING AGENT WITH NO DISPERSANT* DISCLOSED; ORGANIC LIQUID EMULSIFIED IN ANHYDROUS HF) {5}
10.~ Having discontinuous gas or vapor phase, i.e., foam {6}
11  DF  .~.~> With particulate solid
12  DF  .~.~> The agent contains organic compound containing halogen
13  DF  .~.~> The agent contains organic compound containing phosphorus or silicon
14  DF  .~.~> The agent contains organic compound containing sulfoxy*
15  DF  .~.~> The agent contains organic compound containing nitrogen, except if present solely as NH4+ {2}
18  DF  .~.~> The agent contains organic compound containing oxygen {1}

DEFINITION

Classification: 516/10

Having discontinuous gas or vapor phase, i.e., foam:

(under subclass 9) Subject matter in which the colloid system contains a liquid continuous phase and a discontinuous gas or vapor phase (i.e., foam).

(1) Note. Solid foams are not provided for in this class, unless otherwise provided for as in the case of the foam of a gel system.

(2) Note. Surfactant mixtures useful for making solid foams, e.g., polyurethane foams, and other formulations leading up to the uncured foam, are proper for this class and are classified in this and indented subclasses based upon the colloid system they are ultimately intended to make, i.e., the liquid (pre-cured) foam, even though it is a temporary intermediate.

(3) Note. As set forth in the class definition, included in this and indented subclasses are subcombination compositions, which includes those compositions which are substantially completely formulated except for performing a step thereon to form the colloid system, such as a chemical reaction, alone or facilitated by a physical step. Examples of such step include spraying, heating, agitating, dissolving. Thus, a liquified composition in a pressurized container intended for creating a foam is proper for placement in this and indented subclasses, and as appropriate in other colloid system areas of this Class if the liquified composition is itself a colloid system. Also included are the propellants per se when the ultimate intended use is disclosed for these colloid systems.

(4) Note. When classifying foam colloid systems, the agent should not be confused with the gas phase. The (colloid system making or stabilizing) agent is the component which tends to aggregate at the boundary between the gas phase and the liquid phase to facilitate or assist in the persistence of the system for the degree of time sufficient for its intended use.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

1+, for colloid systems of colloid-sized particles dispersed in continuous gas or vapor phase (e.g., smoke, fog, aerosol, cloud, mist), and the propellant per se, therefor.

9, for colloid systems based on continuous liquid phase (e.g., emulsions, suspensions, or dispersions) in which it is unknown whether the continuous liquid phase is aqueous or organic*.

20, for oil-in-oil emulsions, and other discontinuous organic* liquid phase dispersed in continuous organic* liquid phase.

21+, for emulsions in which the continuous liquid phase is primarily organic* and the discontinuous phase is primarily inorganic* liquid, such as water-in-oil emulsions.

31+, for colloid systems in which the continuous liquid phase is primarily organic* and the discontinuous phase is primarily solid or semisolid material* (e.g., suspensions or dispersions).

32, for colloid systems in which the continuous liquid phase is primarily organic* and the discontinuous phase is primarily solid or semisolid material* which is primarily elemental carbon, such as graphite or diamond dispersed or suspended in oil or other primarily organic* continuous liquid phase.

38+, for colloid systems (e.g., emulsions, suspensions, or dispersions) in which the continuous liquid phase is aqueous and the discontinuous phase is primarily bituminous, coal, or carbon.

53+, for colloid systems (e.g., emulsions) in which the continuous liquid phase is aqueous and the discontinuous phase is primarily organic* liquid.

77+, for colloid systems (e.g., suspensions, or dispersions) in which the continuous liquid phase is aqueous and the discontinuous phase is primarily nonbituminous solid.

98+, for gel or gelled emulsion (e.g., paste, gel, floc, gelled emulsion).

901, for a collection of art related to colloid systems of substantially pure carbon, such as graphite, diamond, carbon black, lamp black, Fullerenes.

905+, for a collection of art under the Class Definition which discloses a per se composition containing a colloid system making or stabilizing agent* (e.g., foaming, emulsifying, dispersing, gelling), i.e., a composition containing said agent* and lacking both dispersant* and dispersand*.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS 8, Bleaching and Dyeing; Fluid Treatment and Chemical Modification of Textiles and Fibers, appropriate subclasses for the special use compositions classified therein, and see

477, for foam dye compositions.

71, Chemistry: Fertilizers, appropriate subclasses for plant fertilizing compositions, and see cross-reference art collection 900 for foams of plant fertilizing compositions.

106, Compositions: Coating or Plastic, appropriate subclasses for coating or plastic compositions, and materials or ingredients used in the making of coating or plastic compositions, which are not elsewhere classified. See

646, for inorganic settable composition containing protein which sets or hardens when mixed with water or aqueous solutions, usually forming a hard, stone-like product, and forming foam, cellular, hollow, or porous material.

109, Safes, Bank Protection, or a Related Device,

29+, for devices of the class combined with means for releasing, generating and/or distributing gas, smoke, vapors and/or liquids either manually, automatically upon attack, or automatically in case of fire, which fluent material is normally, but not necessarily, toxic, noncombustible, or incapacitating and may normally, but not necessarily, be used to repel attacks and/or put out, prevent, or impede the action of a fire, and this includes devices relating to jails, where the purposes of this subclass are also present.

156, Adhesive Bonding and Miscellaneous Chemical Manufacture; see the Class 156 definition for presentation of the diverse content of this class. See

78, for processes of bonding of lamina which include the step of forming pores by introducing a gas under pressure to the interior of at least one lamina or by generating a gas in-situ within such lamina.

166, Wells,

244.1+, for processes of treating or operating a well (especially subclass 309 for processes which produce foam or gas in a well by a foaming or gas producing material in a well), which includes significantly claimed process steps of well treating or well operation. See also the notes and SEARCH CLASS references in Class 166 subclass 244.1. 169, Fire Extinguishers, see

44, for processes involving the mixing of fire extinguishing components.

205, Electrolysis: Processes, Compositions Used Therein, and Methods of Preparing the Compositions,

699, for electrolytic erosion of a workpiece for shape or surface change (e.g., etching, polishing, etc.) (process and electrolyte composition) wherein the electrolyte is held into contact with a portion of the workpiece surface by surface

tension or capillary action.

209, Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids,

5, for methods or apparatus for treatment of materials or items prior to their separation to facilitate the latter in which certain components of a mixture may be deflocculated or dispersed relatively to others or by which certain components may be flocculated (this subclass receives only methods and apparatus in which the deflocculation or coagulation is contributory to a subsequent separation of some components from others), subclasses 163+ for methods and means wherein some material is caused to adhere selectively (i.e., to some constituents and not to others) which so lightens the material constituents to which it is attached as to cause them to float on the liquid, while the other constituents are not floated (e.g. bubbles are caused to attach to some components of a material or mixture of solid materials and not to others, the components to which the bubbles are attached being caused thereby to float on the surface of the liquid).

252, Compositions, for all those compositions for which there is no provision elsewhere in the USPCS; including those compositions (or appropriate methods) which are claimed as specifically intended for a special use or function, but which, if only generically claimed, would be proper for Class 516, provided that subject matter is hierarchically superior within Class 252. See

3, 6.5, 8.05 for fire extinguishing foams, subclasses 8.57, 8.61+, 8.81+, and 8.91+ for various specialized compositions for leather, fur, or textile treating, subclass 61 for froth flotation compositions used in physical separation, subclasses 182.11+ for compositions containing a single reactant or plural reactants specialized or designed for use in subsequent reactions with other materials, but not with each other (e.g., for producing foams).

261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, see

75+, for devices specially adapted to produce an intimate contact between gases and liquids, digest 26 foam apparatus.

366, Agitating, 101+, for apparatus which includes agitation and injection of gas which may be a foam, subclasses 108+ for apparatus wherein the agitation is effected by vibratory device, subclasses 279+ for apparatus with rotatable stirrer which may be used for making lather or foam, and cross-reference art collection 604 for mixing apparatus for making foam or lather. Processes which form colloid systems, such as emulsifying or foaming, are proper for compositions classes for the claimed specified use compositions, and for Class 516 for non-specified use compositions (generic).

422, Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing, Preserving, or Sterilizing,

41+, for processes of storage of liquid which may involve use of a colloid system such as an emulsion or foam spread on the surface of the liquid.

424, Drug, Bio-Affecting and Body Treating Compositions,

43+, for effervescent or pressurized fluid containing composition, subclass 70.19 for compositions which have topical nontherapeutic utility for treating the hair or scalp of the living body (e.g. grooming or adorning aids, tonics, rinses) which contain two or more surfactants (i.e. compounds that lower the surface or interfacial tension, including detergents, foaming or wetting agents, emulsifiers, solubilizers, or dispersants) which are either designated in the claims or are art recognized as such.

426, Food or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, and Products,

329, wherein a food foam is protected against deterioration, or wherein a food is protected against undesirable foam formation by contact with a change inhibiting chemical agent other than an antioxygen agent, subclasses 531+ for per se products or processes of preparing or treating compositions involving chemical reaction by addition, combining diverse food material, or permanent additive (particularly subclasses 564+ for foam or foamable type), subclass 519 for processes including mixing or agitating, e.g., homogenizing.

428, Stock Material or Miscellaneous Articles,

158+, for a structurally defined web or sheet which includes variation in thickness and is composed of foamed or cellular layer (e.g., polyurethane, rubber), subclasses 304.4+ for web or sheet containing a structurally defined element or component and two or more components at least one of which has voids (e.g., porous, cellular, microvoids).

435, Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology,

262+, for processes in which preexisting material or compound, which may include a hazardous or toxic waste, present in a composition or material containing a preexisting material, is contacted with an enzyme or immobilized enzyme micro-organism or plant or animal cells to isolate or recover the preexisting material which is chemically unchanged by the process and the hazardous or toxic waste is destroyed (especially subclass 262.5 for processes wherein hazardous or toxic waste such as oil spill is destroyed or converted into an environmentally safe substance, subclass 266 for processes of using enzyme or microorganism to liberate, separate, or purify by treating gas, emulsion, or foam, subclasses 281+ for processes of recovering petroleum or shale oil), foreign art collection FOR184 formethod of using genetically engineered cells other than hybrid or fused cells for oil spill cleanup.

446, Amusement Devices: Toys,

15+, for bubble producing toys.

501, Compositions: Ceramic,

39, for glass or glass forming compositions which are pore forming, subclasses 80+ for other (non-glass or -glass forming) compositions which are pore-forming ceramic compositions.

504, Plant Protecting and Regulating Compositions, appropriate subclasses for a plant stimulating or eradicating composition; including colloid systems, wetting agents, subcombination compositions therefor, or appropriate methods which are claimed as specifically intended for such use.

507, Earth Boring, Well Treating, and Oil Field Chemistry,

102, for earth boring compositions which may contain foam, subclass 202 for well treating compositions which may contain foam.

510, Cleaning Compositions for Solid Surfaces, Auxiliary Compositions Therefor, or Processes of Preparing the Compositions, appropriate subclasses for claimed or solely disclosed cleaning compositions. Although various subclasses specifically provide for colloid systems or wetting agents, such subject matter may be placed based upon another criterion, such as its chemical constitution (i.e., as though it has no colloid system characteristic). Areas known to have documents related to foam colloid systems:

117, for composition for cleaning removable dentures which is gas generating (e.g., effervescent), subclasses 133+ for composition for cleaning human skin (especially subclass 135 for high-foaming bath (e.g., bubble bath)), subclasses 276+ for cleaning compositions for textile material (e.g., laundry detergent) (particularly subclass 317 for suds regulating component and peroxy component containing), subclasses 367+ for cleaning compositions with oxygen or halogen containing chemical bleach or oxidant component (particularly subclass 370 for liquid, paste, foam, or gel (e.g., slurry, aerosol composition or package)).

514, Drug, Bio-Affecting and Body Treating Compositions, cross-reference art collection 945 for subject matter involving a foam and containing specified ingredients to form said foam.

521, Synthetic Resins or Natural Rubbers--Part of the Class 520 Series, 50+, for cellular products or processes of preparing a

cellular product, e.g., foams, pores, channels, such as solid foams.