F16K 31/00
Actuating devices
Official title: {Actuating devices;} Operating means; Releasing devices {(regulating means G05D)}
F16K31/00 (Actuating devices) appears on 16,618 US grants and 15,268 published applications in this corpus.
Search patents in F16K- Granted patents
- 16,618
- Published applications
- 15,268
- Assignees
- 5,691
- Inventors
- 26,179
- Latest grant
- 6 Oct 2026
Filings by year
| Year | Granted patents | Published applications |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 171 | 0 |
| 1977 | 107 | 0 |
| 1978 | 130 | 0 |
| 1979 | 90 | 0 |
| 1980 | 130 | 0 |
| 1981 | 149 | 0 |
| 1982 | 116 | 0 |
| 1983 | 78 | 0 |
| 1984 | 137 | 0 |
| 1985 | 192 | 0 |
| 1986 | 167 | 0 |
| 1987 | 164 | 0 |
| 1988 | 162 | 0 |
| 1989 | 178 | 0 |
| 1990 | 155 | 0 |
| 1991 | 148 | 0 |
| 1992 | 150 | 0 |
| 1993 | 125 | 0 |
| 1994 | 141 | 0 |
| 1995 | 145 | 0 |
| 1996 | 155 | 0 |
| 1997 | 140 | 0 |
| 1998 | 182 | 0 |
| 1999 | 248 | 0 |
| 2000 | 318 | 0 |
| 2001 | 297 | 103 |
| 2002 | 260 | 232 |
| 2003 | 247 | 296 |
| 2004 | 283 | 378 |
| 2005 | 293 | 401 |
| 2006 | 296 | 380 |
| 2007 | 223 | 348 |
| 2008 | 191 | 376 |
| 2009 | 186 | 376 |
| 2010 | 233 | 445 |
| 2011 | 228 | 378 |
| 2012 | 327 | 478 |
| 2013 | 331 | 582 |
| 2014 | 413 | 603 |
| 2015 | 564 | 751 |
| 2016 | 616 | 913 |
| 2017 | 742 | 1025 |
| 2018 | 810 | 990 |
| 2019 | 953 | 1004 |
| 2020 | 964 | 1076 |
| 2021 | 919 | 853 |
| 2022 | 846 | 777 |
| 2023 | 699 | 750 |
| 2024 | 769 | 732 |
| 2025 | 642 | 586 |
| 2026 | 408 | 435 |
By publication year. Applications have been published since 2001. 2026 runs to 8 Oct.
Subgroups
Granted patents
- F16K 31/02Electric7,891
- F16K 31/12Actuated by fluid5,375
- F16K 31/44Mechanical actuating means4,056
- F16K 31/002Actuated by temperature variation754
- F16K 31/004Actuated by piezoelectric means491
- F16K 31/003Operated without a stable intermediate position151
- F16K 31/001Actuated by volume variations caused by an element soluble in a fluid61
Recent patents
- Thermal bimetal actuators for use in non-magnetic medical devices6 Oct 2026US 12,751,623 B2Koninklijke Philips N. V.
- Shot peening flow control valve and its method of use6 Oct 2026US 12,752,395 B2Abrasive Engineering Pte Ltd
- Pressure control valve6 Oct 2026US 12,753,762 B2Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.
- Solenoid stabilizers and methods for stabilizing solenoids in valve bodies6 Oct 2026US 12,753,806 B2Sonnax Transmission Company
- Lube control flow valves for vehicle rear cases and differentials6 Oct 2026US 12,753,832 B2Sonnax Transmission Company
- Multi-way switching valve device8 Oct 2026US 2026/0309240 A1Mikuni Corporation
- Fluid mixing assembly having a thermostatic mixing valve8 Oct 2026US 2026/0309243 A1Reliance Worldwide Corporation (Aust.) Pty. Ltd.
- Thermostat device8 Oct 2026US 2026/0309249 A1Coplus Inc.
- Actuator with electric motor8 Oct 2026US 2026/0309250 A1AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
- Electric bleed off valve assembly8 Oct 2026US 2026/0309251 A1FMC Technologies, Inc.
Most cited
By later US patents
- Microfabricated elastomeric valve and pump systems619US 6,408,878 B1California Institute of Technology · 2002
- Bellows driver slot valve587US 5,975,492 A1999
- Valve system with removable fluid interface540US 5,088,515 A1992
- Gate valve530US 6,299,133 B2SMC Corporation · 2001
- Metering valve516US 4,164,959 AThe Salk Institute for Biological Studies · 1979