A61L
Methods or apparatus for sterilising materials or objects in general
Official title: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
A61L (Methods or apparatus for sterilising materials or objects in general) appears on 58,151 US grants and 75,058 published applications in this corpus.
Search patents in A61L- Granted patents
- 58,151
- Published applications
- 75,058
- Assignees
- 20,281
- Inventors
- 104,591
- Latest grant
- 6 Oct 2026
Filings by year
| Year | Granted patents | Published applications |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 195 | 0 |
| 1977 | 161 | 0 |
| 1978 | 178 | 0 |
| 1979 | 154 | 0 |
| 1980 | 203 | 0 |
| 1981 | 276 | 0 |
| 1982 | 236 | 0 |
| 1983 | 228 | 0 |
| 1984 | 262 | 0 |
| 1985 | 298 | 0 |
| 1986 | 336 | 0 |
| 1987 | 403 | 0 |
| 1988 | 373 | 0 |
| 1989 | 522 | 0 |
| 1990 | 523 | 0 |
| 1991 | 570 | 0 |
| 1992 | 625 | 0 |
| 1993 | 617 | 0 |
| 1994 | 695 | 0 |
| 1995 | 722 | 0 |
| 1996 | 790 | 0 |
| 1997 | 931 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1123 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1130 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1051 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1117 | 403 |
| 2002 | 1170 | 1546 |
| 2003 | 1259 | 2105 |
| 2004 | 991 | 2395 |
| 2005 | 831 | 2633 |
| 2006 | 886 | 2406 |
| 2007 | 824 | 2538 |
| 2008 | 764 | 2671 |
| 2009 | 831 | 2677 |
| 2010 | 1318 | 2892 |
| 2011 | 1452 | 2706 |
| 2012 | 1743 | 2646 |
| 2013 | 1925 | 2831 |
| 2014 | 2288 | 3255 |
| 2015 | 2244 | 3235 |
| 2016 | 2303 | 3311 |
| 2017 | 2375 | 3400 |
| 2018 | 2183 | 3390 |
| 2019 | 2583 | 3740 |
| 2020 | 2638 | 3789 |
| 2021 | 2496 | 4174 |
| 2022 | 2282 | 4424 |
| 2023 | 2330 | 3749 |
| 2024 | 2592 | 3409 |
| 2025 | 2495 | 2740 |
| 2026 | 1629 | 1993 |
By publication year. Applications have been published since 2001. 2026 runs to 8 Oct.
Main groups
Granted patents with any code in the group
- A61L 27/00Materials for grafts or prostheses or for coating grafts or prostheses18,759
- A61L 2/00Disinfection or sterilisation of materials or objects, in general14,534
- A61L 31/00Materials for other surgical articles10,517
- A61L 2300/00Biologically active materials used in bandages, wound dressings, absorbent pads or medicalIndexing code10,081
- A61L 15/00Chemical aspects of, or use of materials for, bandages, dressings or absorbent8,260
- A61L 2430/00Materials or treatment for tissue regenerationIndexing code8,138
- A61L 9/00Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air7,827
- A61L 2103/00Materials or objects being the target of disinfection or sterilisationIndexing code6,196
All 21 main groupsShow fewer
- A61L 2400/00Materials characterised by their function or physical propertiesIndexing code5,400
- A61L 2202/00Aspects relating to methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising materials orIndexing code5,383
- A61L 29/00Materials for catheters, medical tubing, cannulae, or endoscopes or for coating catheters4,504
- A61L 24/00Surgical adhesives or cements3,286
- A61L 2209/00Aspects relating to disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of airIndexing code3,266
- A61L 2420/00Materials or methods for coatings medical devicesIndexing code2,135
- A61L 26/00Chemical aspects of, or use of materials for, wound dressings or bandages1,982
- A61L 17/00Materials for surgical sutures or for ligaturing blood vessels1,323
- A61L 33/00Antithrombogenic treatment of surgical articles1,267
- A61L 12/00Methods or apparatus for disinfecting or sterilising contact lenses909
- A61L 11/00Methods specially adapted for refuse539
- A61L 2101/00Chemical composition of materials used in disinfecting, sterilising or deodorisingIndexing code296
- A61L 28/00Materials for colostomy devices100
Recent patents
- Rod for spinal fixation implement and spinal fixation implement provided with same6 Oct 2026US 12,751,741 B2Globeride, Inc.
- Corneal implant systems and methods6 Oct 2026US 12,751,813 B2Allotex, Inc.
- Tapered heart valve covering6 Oct 2026US 12,751,822 B2Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
- Use of porous calcium-based granules for promoting healing of an intra-articular or peri-articular fracture of a fractured bone6 Oct 2026US 12,751,970 B2Joy Medical Devices Corporation
- Mobile device disinfection6 Oct 2026US 12,752,027 B2UV Partners, Inc.
- Lighting element with insect repelling element8 Oct 2026US 2026/0305598 A1PIC Corporation
- Devices and methods for controlled release of volatile active ingredients8 Oct 2026US 2026/0305602 A1
- Prosthetic Surgical Sling8 Oct 2026US 2026/0306237 A1
- Percutaneous potts shunt devices and methods8 Oct 2026US 2026/0306241 A1Transmural Systems LLC
- Colored Ophthalmological Implant and Method of Manufacturing a Colored Ophthalmological Implant8 Oct 2026US 2026/0306246 A1Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems AG
Most cited
By later US patents
- Medical devices incorporating sim alloy elements2,338US 4,665,906 ARaychem Corporation · 1987
- Surgical bettress and surgical stapling apparatus2,317US 6,273,897 B1Ethicon, Inc. · 2001
- Surgical staple2,306US 4,719,917 AMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company · 1988
- Surgical fastener and means for applying same2,134US 4,402,445 AUnited States Surgical Corporation · 1983
- Sterilizable surgical instrument2,100US 8,397,971 B2Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. · 2013