Updated October 15, 2026. Data: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, patent application records, filings 2012–2025. Applications usually become public about 18 months after filing, so 2024 and especially 2025 counts are still filling in. Next update: spring 2027.
Inventors filed 156 U.S. patent applications for heat pump systems in 2024, up from 91 in 2023. Filings had stayed between about 90 and 130 a year since 2013. Because 2024 filings are still being published, the final count will be higher.
Heat pumps heat and cool by moving heat instead of burning fuel. This count covers heat pump systems themselves; parts like compressors and controls are often filed in other categories, so the real amount of heat pump invention is larger.
Applications filed each year
Every year
Click a column to sort.
| Year filed | Applications | From small inventors and small companies | Small share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 62 | 24 | 39% |
| 2013 | 108 | 35 | 32% |
| 2014 | 128 | 31 | 24% |
| 2015 | 98 | 25 | 26% |
| 2016 | 100 | 34 | 34% |
| 2017 | 91 | 26 | 29% |
| 2018 | 101 | 38 | 38% |
| 2019 | 119 | 35 | 29% |
| 2020 | 95 | 33 | 35% |
| 2021 | 96 | 30 | 31% |
| 2022 | 101 | 35 | 35% |
| 2023 | 91 | 30 | 33% |
| 2024 (still filling in) | 156 | 36 | 23% |
| 2025 (still filling in) | 116 | 21 | 18% |
Who files the most
Top filers, 2021–2025, counting each application once under the first company or person named:
- LG ELECTRONICS INC.: 28
- Rheem Manufacturing Company: 25
- Carrier Corporation: 17
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: 16
- TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.: 13
- Ford Global Technologies, LLC: 13
- Mitsubishi Electric Corporation: 12
- Hanon Systems: 12
Small inventors and small companies filed 32% of these applications from 2019 to 2023, compared with 30% of all U.S. patent applications.
What it means for HVAC contractors
- More heat pump work. New designs and rebates mean more installs and service calls. See how to start an HVAC business.
- Major HVAC brands lead. LG, Rheem, Carrier, Samsung and Trane are the top filers.
- One year isn’t a trend. Wait for 2025 filings to see if it holds.
- Bigger jobs, bigger claims. Heat pump installs involve refrigerant and electrical work, so check what HVAC business insurance covers.
Starting an HVAC business?
Form your LLC with ZenBusiness.
We may earn a commission if you use this link. It doesn’t change what you pay, and it doesn’t affect the data on this page.
How we counted
- Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, application records for patent applications filed since 2012, searched 2026-10-15.
- What’s counted: applications listed under heat pump systems (code F25B 30). Each application is counted once, in the year it was filed, even if it is listed in several categories.
- Applications, not granted patents. Many applications are later rejected or dropped.
- Recent years are incomplete. Most applications stay private for about 18 months, and some are never published unless granted. Counts for 2024 and 2025 will grow.
- Small inventors are applicants that paid reduced “small entity” or “micro entity” fees: individuals, companies with fewer than 500 employees, universities and nonprofits.
- Top filers are matched on the first applicant’s name. We merged obvious spelling variants, but related companies (for example a parent and its U.S. arm) are listed separately.
- We checked the category by hand. In a random sample of 15 applications filed in 2024, about 10 were clearly heat pump systems or controls; others were refrigeration, compressors or industrial heat recovery.
Sources
Cite this data
Reporters and bloggers may use these numbers and charts. Please credit StartBusinessByState and link to this page.
Source: StartBusinessByState, “Heat Pump Patent Filings Jumped in 2024 After a Decade of Little Change,” https://startbusinessbystate.com/heat-pump-patents/ (updated October 15, 2026).
FAQ
Are heat pump patents increasing?
Yes in 2024: 156 U.S. applications, up from 91 in 2023, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Before that, filings were flat for about a decade.
Where is this data from?
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publishes records for every published patent application, including the categories examiners assign and whether the applicant paid small-business fees.
Last updated October 15, 2026 by StartBusinessByState.