Air-Source Heat Pump Thermal Storage Patent Landscape
The air-source heat pump combined with thermal storage field is in a Growth stage, with recent-window filings up 33% over the prior comparable period, though annual volume has eased from its 2019 peak and the most recent years remain understated by publication lag. The field is fragmented at the top — Colorado State University Research Foundation and AtmosZero Inc. are co-leaders — with Chinese patent offices accounting for the dominant share of recorded activity.
A fragmented, university-and-start-up-led field with a strong Chinese filing footprint
Colorado State University Research Foundation and AtmosZero Inc. share the top position, each with 6 patent records, followed by Trane International Inc. with 5 patent records. No single applicant dominates by a wide margin, signaling an open competitive field.
The top five filers account for 20% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers — a low concentration ratio that reflects a fragmented ecosystem rather than an entrenched incumbent structure. The tier gap between ranks one and three is narrow (6 versus 5 patent records), reinforcing the competitive openness.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado State University Research Foundation | 6 | |
| 2 | AtmosZero Inc. | 6 | |
| 3 | Trane International Inc. | 5 | |
| 4 | Guangdong Yiming Machinery Technology Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 5 | Chongqing Yaoguan Heating & Cooling Equipment Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 6 | TEV | 2 | |
| 7 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 2 | |
| 8 | Harbin Institute of Technology | 2 | |
| 9 | South China University of Technology | 2 | |
| 10 | Zhejiang Bailisheng New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 2 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Basic Holdings Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 12 | Shanghai Construction Group Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 13 | Tianjin University of Commerce | 2 | |
| 14 | Tsinghua University | 2 | |
| 15 | Qiancheng Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 16 | Southeast University | 2 | |
| 17 | Tsinghua University Shanxi Clean Energy Research Institute | 2 | |
| 18 | Beijing Aerospace Geotechnical Engineering Institute | 2 | |
| 19 | Jiangsu Tenesun Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd. | 2 | |
| 20 | Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 2 |
The co-leadership of an academic foundation (Colorado State University Research Foundation) and a start-up (AtmosZero Inc.) suggests that foundational technology is still being established; established HVAC manufacturers such as Trane International Inc. appear in the top three but have not yet pulled away from the field.
Filing counts for 2024–2026 are understated due to publication lag; the apparent plateau in those years should not be read as a slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Multi-year growth with heat-pump refrigeration as the clear technology core
The annual filing trend reveals a field that has expanded meaningfully over the multi-year window despite irregular annual volumes, while the technology composition chart shows that F25B (Refrigeration & heat pumps) anchors the patent corpus with secondary clusters in heat-exchange apparatus and domestic heating systems.
Annual filing trend
Filings rose sharply to a 2019 peak of 13 patent records, softened in 2020–2021, recovered to another high of 13 in 2022, and have since settled at 6–9 per year through 2025, with 2026 data effectively incomplete due to publication lag. The net 33% recent-window growth confirms the field is still expanding on a multi-year basis, though annual volume has eased from the 2019 peak — treat the 2024–2026 readings as a floor, not a ceiling.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
F25B (Refrigeration & heat pumps) is the dominant branch, reflecting that core heat-pump cycle design is the primary locus of innovation. F28D (Heat-exchange apparatus) and F24D (Domestic heating systems) form a secondary tier, pointing to integration of thermal storage into building-heating circuits. Lower-representation branches — F24S (Solar heat collectors), F22B (Steam generation & boilers), and H02J (Power supply & grid systems) — indicate adjacent territory that remains lightly covered.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Hot water system comprising a heat source and a ta…
A hot water system 100 comprises at least one heat source, a tank 110 providing an energy source, and a fresh water station 152 provided by a heat exchanger 154 fuelled by the tank. The energy source includes a phase change material (PCM) 170. Most preferably, the tank is a hot water cylinder wherein the PCM is located in an upper part 114 of the tank and… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 具有过冷作用的空气源热泵相变蓄能除霜系统 | 36 |
| 2 | Cold energy recovery-type variable-capacity air-so… | 27 |
| 3 | 一种用于空气源热泵热水器的相变蓄热型除霜系统 | 26 |
| 4 | Heat pump system with a thermal store comprising a… | 25 |
| 5 | 一种空气源热泵热水器高密度储热一体机 | 21 |
| 6 | 一种回收利用压缩机余热的空气源热泵系统 | 19 |
| 7 | 基于制冷剂过冷热回收增效的空气源热泵系统及控制方法 | 15 |
| 8 | 一种基于相变蓄热和热管传热的太阳能热泵系统 | 15 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the patent structure means for R&D investment decisions
The field’s low concentration, Growth-stage lifecycle, and university-start-up co-leadership collectively point to a window where targeted R&D can establish meaningful positions before large industrial players consolidate.
Growth stage with peak-year volatility
The lifecycle is classified as Growth, with the recent three-year filing window sitting 33% above the prior comparable period. Annual volume has eased from the 2019 peak of 13 patent records and the 2022 secondary peak, but the multi-year trajectory remains upward. Engineers entering now can still influence core claim scope before the field matures into a consolidation phase.
Growth · eased from 2019 peakLow concentration — open to new entrants
The top five filers hold only 20% of the combined total among the hundred largest filers, and the leader’s count (6 patent records) is reachable by a well-resourced entrant within a few years. The field has no dominant incumbent with a blocking portfolio, making focused filing in specific thermal-storage integration approaches viable.
Low concentration · 20% top-5 shareUniversity–industry co-filing is the primary collaboration model
The most active co-filing pair is Colorado State University Research Foundation and AtmosZero Inc., with 6 jointly filed patent records — the strongest collaboration signal in the dataset. Tsinghua University’s Shanxi Clean Energy Research Institute and Tsinghua University have co-filed 2 records. Xi’an Jiaotong University has collaborated with the Power Research Institute of State Grid Shaanxi Electric Power, and Tianjin University of Commerce has co-filed with three separate industrial partners including Shidao Tech Investment Co. Ltd. and Lizhi Energy-Saving Joint Co., indicating a pattern of academia-to-industry technology transfer across both Western and Chinese ecosystems.
University–industry co-filing dominantChina is the dominant filing jurisdiction; Western offices are sparse
China accounts for 64 patent records — far exceeding all other jurisdictions combined. Europe (EPO) and the United States each show 5 patent records, the United Kingdom 4, and South Korea 2, with single-record presence in Australia, Canada, Luxembourg, and via PCT. This skew means that non-Chinese applicants who file only domestically may be invisible to this landscape, and vice versa — competitive intelligence must account for the Chinese-language prior-art body.
China-dominant · limited Western coverageGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University Research Foundation | AtmosZero Inc. | 6 |
| Tsinghua University Shanxi Clean Energy Research Institute | Tsinghua University | 2 |
| Xi’an Jiaotong University | Power Research Institute of State Grid Shaanxi Electric Power Co. Ltd. | 1 |
| Tianjin University of Commerce | Tianjin Cold Source Engineering Design Institute | 1 |
| Tianjin University of Commerce | Shidao Technology Investment Co. Ltd. | 1 |
| Tianjin University of Commerce | Lizhi Energy-Saving Joint Co. Ltd. | 1 |
| Tianjin University of Commerce | Hebei Aviation Research Cold Equipment Co. Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Colorado State / AtmosZero lead on core heat-pump cycles; Trane focuses on domestic heating integration
The top three applicants each entered recently as new entrants, suggesting the field’s current leadership is freshly established rather than entrenched. Technology emphasis diverges meaningfully between the US academic-start-up pair and the established HVAC manufacturer.
Colorado State University Research Foundation
Co-leader with 6 patent records, all filed recently as a new entrant to this corpus. Technology focus is concentrated entirely within F25B sub-classes covering advanced refrigeration and heat-pump cycles (F25B 11, F25B 25, F25B 30), indicating deep engagement with the thermodynamic core of the system rather than the integration or building-systems layer. The close collaboration with AtmosZero Inc. — sharing 6 jointly filed records — suggests a deliberate academic-to-commercialization pipeline.
patent records: 6Trane International Inc.
Third-ranked applicant with 5 patent records, also a new entrant to this corpus. Unlike the co-leaders, Trane’s technology emphasis lies in domestic heating systems (F24D 11, F24D 17) and heat-exchange apparatus (F28D 20), reflecting a systems-integration and building-application orientation rather than fundamental cycle design. This positions Trane as the leading industrial applicant focused on deployable product architectures.
patent records: 5| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University Research Foundation | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| AtmosZero Inc. | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| Trane International Inc. | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Qiancheng Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Tsinghua University Shanxi Clean Energy Research Institute | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Tsinghua University | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches in ventilation, fluid heating, and solar integration
Several IPC branches appear at relatively low counts within the corpus, indicating that the intersection of air-source heat pump thermal storage with these sub-domains has been lightly addressed so far. Each branch has plausible technical relevance and is noted here as an observation of relative sparsity.
F24S · Solar heat collectors
With only 6 patent records tagged to F24S (Solar heat collectors), the combination of air-source heat pump thermal storage with solar thermal collection is an under-served branch. The technical rationale is clear: solar thermal input can reduce compressor load and improve overall system coefficient of performance, particularly in cold-climate defrost scenarios. One top-cited patent already describes a solar heat-pump system with phase-change thermal storage, suggesting the concept is proven but not yet heavily claimed. Entry paths include hybrid collector-evaporator designs and control algorithms that dynamically apportion solar and air-source inputs to a shared thermal store.
Search this in Eureka →F22B · Steam generation & boilers
F22B (Steam generation & boilers) appears in only 5 patent records, making the intersection of air-source heat pump thermal storage with industrial or district-heat steam generation a sparsely covered branch. As decarbonization pressure grows on industrial steam supply, high-temperature heat pump systems coupled to thermal storage buffers represent a credible research direction. The low prior-art density means that foundational claims in this area may still be available, though entrants should verify overlap with existing geothermal and industrial heat-pump prior art outside this corpus.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ across heat-pump cycle, heating-system, and heat-exchange technology routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | F25B 30 · Refrigeration & heat pumps | F28D 20 · Heat-exchange apparatus | F25B 47 · Refrigeration & heat pumps | F25B 27 · Refrigeration & heat pumps | F24F 5 · Air conditioning & ventilation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AtmosZero Inc. | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 5 | Absent |
| Colorado State University Research Foundation | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 5 | Absent |
| Shanghai Construction Group Co. Ltd. | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Absent | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 |
| Trane International Inc. | Absent | Strong · 3 | Strong · 2 | Absent | Strong · 2 |
| Tianjin University of Commerce | Absent | Strong · 2 | Strong · 3 | Absent | Absent |
| TEV | Strong · 2 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 2 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 67 patent families in scope. Activity spans from 2017 through 2026, with 2024–2026 counts understated due to publication lag.
Colorado State University Research Foundation and AtmosZero Inc. each lead with 6 patent records, followed by Trane International Inc. with 5 patent records. Both top applicants are recent new entrants to this corpus, indicating the leadership position was established recently.
The field is classified as Growth. Recent three-year filings are 33% above the prior comparable window, confirming multi-year expansion. Annual volume has eased from the 2019 peak, and the most recent years are further understated by publication lag, so the underlying growth pace is likely higher than raw 2024–2026 counts suggest.
China is the dominant jurisdiction with 64 patent records, far exceeding Europe (EPO) and the United States at 5 records each. This heavy skew means that Chinese-language prior art is central to any freedom-to-operate or prior-art search in this field.
The most-cited work covers air-source heat pump phase-change thermal storage defrost systems (36 citations), variable-capacity cold-energy recovery air-source heat pump systems (27 citations), and phase-change thermal-storage defrost systems for heat pump water heaters (26 citations). A patent describing a heat pump system with a thermal store is also highly cited at 25 citations. These works define the citation backbone of the field.
The sparsest adjacent branches by patent-record count include F24S (Solar heat collectors, 6 records), F22B (Steam generation & boilers, 5 records), F24H (Fluid heaters & water heaters, 9 records), and F25D (Refrigerators & cooling, 9 records). Each represents a plausible technical extension of air-source heat pump thermal storage but has attracted relatively limited dedicated filings so far.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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