US PATENT SUBCLASS 516 / 98
CONTINUOUS OR SEMICONTINUOUS SOLID PHASE (I.E., SYSTEMS WHICH EXHIBIT PLASTICITY, ELASTICITY, OR RIGIDITY): 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., GEL, PASTE, GELLED EMULSION, FLOC)

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516 /   HD   COLLOID SYSTEMS AND WETTING AGENTS; SUBCOMBINATIONS THEREOF; PROCESSES OF

98CONTINUOUS OR SEMICONTINUOUS SOLID PHASE (I.E., SYSTEMS WHICH EXHIBIT PLASTICITY, ELASTICITY, OR RIGIDITY): 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., GEL, PASTE, GELLED EMULSION, FLOC) {4}
99  DF  .~> The solid phase contains organic material {3}
110  DF  .~> The solid phase contains metal silicate or clay (e.g., bentonite, kaolin)
111  DF  .~> The solid phase contains silica (e.g., hydrated silicagel)
112  DF  .~> The solid phase contains alumina (e.g., hydrated alumina-gel)

DEFINITION

Classification: 516/98

CONTINUOUS OR SEMICONTINUOUS SOLID PHASE (I.E., SYSTEMS WHICH EXHIBIT PLASTICITY, ELASTICITY, OR RIGIDITY): 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., GEL, PASTE, GELLED EMULSION, FLOC):

(under the class definition) Subject matter which is a (1) colloid system having a continuous or semicontinuous solid phase, (2) composition containing an agent* for making or stabilizing such a system, (3) process of making or stabilizing such a system, or (4) process of preparing a composition containing an agent* for making or stabilizing such a system (i.e., systems which exhibit plasticity, elasticity, or rigidity); such as gel, paste, gelled emulsion, floc.

(1) Note. A gel is defined as a solid or semisolid colloid system formed of a solid continuous phase and a liquid phase (either discontinuous or continuous or mixed), often identified by its outward gelatinous appearance, and which exhibits properties of a solid such as plasticity, elasticity, or rigidity. Thus, for these colloid systems, the liquid phase need not be a 'dispersed' phase, rather it may be continuous. The gelling component (solid phase) is usually of the lipophilic type and present in concentrations

of less than 10 percent. As defined for purposes of this and indented subclasses, this would exclude silica gels and aluminosilicate gels and other materials* which are primarily solid and described as being particulate, microspheroidal, spheroidal, etc., or described with descriptive properties, terms, or expressions which indicates destruction of the two-phase system, such as, pore volume, pore diameter, surface area.

(2) Note. Pastes are included here as semicontinuous solid phase materials*. They exhibit one or more solid properties of plasticity, elasticity, or rigidity. The particles in the system appear to be weakly bonding so as to acquire solid or gel-like characteristics.

(3) Note. The usual distinction between sols* and gels* is that sols* are flowable and gels* are not.

(4) Note. For a gelled composition which is claimed or disclosed as having a function or utility provided for in the US Patent Classification System, see Class 516 definitions, section II, subsections C and E especially.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

902, for an art collection of gelled emulsion. 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

34, Drying and Gas Vapor Contact with Solids,

302+, for processes under that class definition of treating a flowable material wherein the material is congealed, thickened, jelled, or stiffened in any way.

44, Fuel and Related Compositions,

265+, for a gelled composition to be used either as a fuel or as a carbonaceous reductant in a metallurgical process.

60, Power Plants,

39.464, for reaction motor having means to produce combustion products wherein the fuel may be a solid, slurry, emulsion, dispersion, or suspension, subclass 252 for reaction motor (e.g., rockets) wherein the propellant is a gelatinous precipitate.

62, Refrigeration,

54.1, for process or apparatus for storing a cryogen as a mixture of diverse phases, such as, a gel or colloid suspension.

65, Glass Manufacturing, 17.2, for processes of working or treating glass which includes a sol-gel route or liquid phase route procedure during any stage of working or treating glass.

71, Chemistry: Fertilizers,

64.09, for processes directed to the preparation of fertilizers in form of gels and the produced plant fertilizing compositions.

73, Measuring and Testing,

53.01+, for liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a liquid (particularly subclasses 64.41+ for a process or an apparatus for detecting or determining the composition of, a constituent of, or a property of a liquid or a liquid suspension of a solid and the determination is made by measuring or detecting the ability of the liquid to coagulate, to form a clot, or to form a stiffened or solid colloid-like mass (e.g., gel)).

95, Gas Separation: Processes,

152, for contacting fluid mixture with a liquid and including coagulating or flocculating agent.

102, Ammunition and Explosives,

365, for liquid or jelly containing incendiary apparatus or method of use.

149, Explosive and Thermic Compositions or Charges, appropriate subclasses for explosive and thermic compositions and methods of preparing or treating such compositions, where the latter are used to produce usable heat or flame or by-products resulting from the use of such compositions (e.g. smoke flares). See various subclasses based on active composition for explosive or thermic compositions which may be gels or pastes or may be intended to yield smoke as result of combustion (particularly

29+, 37+, and 78+), subclasses 17+ for compositions containing particulate material dispersed substantially entirely within a solidified or matrix medium and which are characterized by dispersed phase within a continuous phase, subclass 108.4 for smoke affecting composition (e.g., coloring), subclass 108.8 for compositions containing a stability or viscosity agent (e.g., gelling, thickening, thinning, liquefying, etc., agent, a stabilizer or unstabilizer (activator), a burning rate modifier), cross-reference art collection 110+ for compositions or

processes reciting or disclosing a reference to a particular size or dimension of the particles of at least one of the ingredients or the size or dimension of all or part of the composition in particulate form, cross-reference art collection 117 for smoke generating or weather modifying composition with a resin, and cross-reference art collection 118 for composition containing a resin dissolved in the continuous phase of a gel. 166, Wells,

244.1+, for processes of treating or operating a well which may include gel forming or breaking 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.

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).

210, Liquid Purification or Separation,

702+, for processes in which a liquid is treated by a chemical or physical agent to cause a dissolved constituent to separate from the solvent or to cause a constituent, dispersed in such a finely divided state that it is not filterable or settleable, to agglomerate, coagulate, coalesce, or flocculate (e.g., subclasses 703+ for flotation using a specified precipitant, coagulant, or flocculant).

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

186.1+, for compositions for bleaching by oxidation, or in other oxidation of extraneous substances, or in generating oxygen, subclass 194 for a composition which is designed to remove or bind water which may be in the form of a gel or which forms a gel, subclasses 634+ for radioactive compositions in the form of sol solution or gel.

264, Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes,

3.1+, for processes making gelled explosives which include a

molding step or otherwise proper for this class.

361, Electricity: Electrical Systems and Devices, 526, for solid electrolytic capacitor of paste or gel.

366, Agitating,

69+, for apparatus which may be used for working liquid into a gel. Processes which form colloid systems, such as emulsifying, gelling, or foaming, are proper for compositions Classes for the claimed specified use compositions, and for Class 516 for non-specified use compositions (generic).

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

1.25, for radionuclide containing composition which dissolves or elutes from solid or gel matrix, subclasses 469+ in which sustained or differential release type tablets, lozenges, or pills contain discrete soluble particles of the active ingredient are positioned or dispersed in a solid, generally insoluble matrix from which said particles are leached sequentially under conditions of use from the outside portions of the matrix inwardly, subclasses 76.2+ for non-body deodorizing substances which are evaporable, sublimable, or gas (e.g., deodorization of air, aerosol spray compositions, gels).

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

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 573+ for gels or gellable composition).

427, Coating Processes,

246, for forming a foraminous product having a microporous coating by coagulating or jelling the coating.

430, Radiation Imagery Chemistry: Process, Composition, or Product Thereof,

199+, for films used for image forming and transfer (e.g., instant photography) which may include a gel, subclass 404 where a gel or web is used in a developer for nonradiation sensitive image processing, subclasses 495.1+ for film which may contain gel (e.g., gelatin).

436, Chemistry: Analytical and Immunological Testing, 515, for tests involving diffusion or migration of antigen or antibody through a gel, such as immunoelectrophoresis.

501, Compositions: Ceramic,

12, for glass or glass forming compositions which are made by a gel route.

502, Catalyst, Solid Sorbent, or Support Therefor: Product or Process of Making,

233+, for forming a catalyst or precursor comprising forming silica gel (i.e., an amorphous form of hydrate silica, generally produced by precipitation or coagulation of a silica sol or decomposition of a silicate), subclass 405 for solid sorbent comprising inorganic gel composition, in which there is usually a metal or silicon oxide in relatively minor amount is distributed in suspension in water, appearing to be solid while the water constitutes as much as 95 to 99% of the mixture.

505, Superconductor Technology: Apparatus, Material, Process,

440, for processes under the class definition of producing or treating high temperature (Tc >30 K) superconductor material or superconductor containing products or processes of producing or treating precursors thereof which utilizes a sol or gel at any stage, cross-reference art collection 735 for a process limited to the methods of making or treating high temperature (Tc >30 K) superconducting shaped material, article, or device which includes a sol-gel process.

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

200+, for well treating compositions which may contain colloid systems (e.g., dispersions, suspensions, emulsions) or wetting agents, cross-reference art collection 922+ for fracture fluids which may be gels.

508, Solid Antifriction Devices, Material Therefor, Lubricant or Separant Compositions for Moving Solid Surfaces, and Miscellaneous Mineral Oil Compositions, appropriate subclasses for claimed or solely disclosed lubricants composed of suspension which may be colloid systems, see

136+, for compositions which are miscellaneous mineral oil compositions, or are lubricants or separants for moving solid surfaces, which contain silicon dioxide, silicic acid, orthosilicate, or metasilicate (e.g., clays, onium clays, estersils, etc.) which may be surface-treated. This Class is organized based upon the chemical constituents or chemical reactants of the composition or device; no subclass specifically provides for colloid systems or wetting agents, therefore such subject matter would be placed based upon its constituents as though it were a solution or mixture having no colloid system characteristic. 510, Cleaning Compositions for Solid Surfaces, Auxiliary Compositions Therefor, or Processes of Preparing the Compositions, appropriate subclasses for claimed or solely

disclosed cleaning compositions for cleaning or removing foreign matter from solid surfaces which may be gel or paste. 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 gel or paste colloid systems include:

133+, for composition for cleaning human skin (especially subclass 158 for cream, paste, or gel), subclasses 221+ for liquid, paste, or gel composition used in automatic dishwasher, subclasses 276+ for cleaning compositions for textile material (e.g., laundry detergent) (particularly subclass 280 for gel or liquid composition for cleaning pile fabric or upholstery (e.g., carpet, rug), subclass 336 for gel, cream, or paste), 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)), subclasses 383+ for liquid, paste, or gel cleaning composition with halogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or phosphorus containing antiseptic or biocidal component, subclasses 395+ for cleaning composition with a scrubbing or scouring component (e.g., containing an abrasive, cream, paste, gel, gas-propelled, slurry), subclass 403 for gel or malleable (e.g., plastic-like) cleaning composition, subclass 404 for cream or paste cleaning composition, subclasses 535 for surfactant compositions (other that raw soap) which are specialized for use in cleaning compositions together with other auxiliary components (particularly subclass 537 for liquid or paste).

512, Perfume Compositions,

2, for compositions which include a chemical compound whose sole purpose is to prevent chemical change, or to extend the life of the perfume by retarding evaporation of the perfume active ingredient, subclass 4 for nonliquid or encapsulated compositions, such as gels containing a perfume material

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

772+, for compositions which contain a designated nonbioactive organic compound (e.g., emulsifying polymers, gelatin), cross-reference art collections 936-975 which pertain to specifically disclosed carrier systems, physical form, or specified nonbioactive ingredient (particularly cross-reference art collection 944 for subject matter involving a gel form and containing specified ingredients to give a gel).

604, Surgery,

368, for methods and apparatus comprising portable receptor or material collecting means used to receive material discharge from the body and treatment of the body by

employing material collectors or receptors which comprise an absorbent pad for external or internal application and supports therefor (e.g., catamenial devices, diapers, etc.) and which contain collagen or gelling material.