DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Joint Inventors
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/16/2025 has been entered.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). A certified copy of this document has been placed in the file wrapper. As such, the effective filing date of the instant application is considered 09/27/2019, coinciding with the filing date of the Federal Republic of Germany application to which foreign priority was requested.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1 and 15 have been amended. No claims have been added or canceled. The 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection has been maintained with updated mapping in response to the amendment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/16/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s arguments with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection and finds them similarly unconvincing to the previous round of argumentation, the response to which Applicant did not discuss.
Applicant restates that Ebato does not teach a cleaning process subsequent to the process of eliminating a fault. As previously stated in the 09/16/2025 Final Rejection, Examiner finds that Ebato teaches a cleaning and re-cleaning procedure that would disclose the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed language “subsequent to the process of eliminating a fault”.
Applicant further contends that the cited portions of Ebato do not teach the detection and elimination of a fault of “a particular functional component of the production device”. Examiner finds this argument unconvincing, and contends that applicant is overstating the claimed language, which merely necessitates that a “functional component of the production device” is fixed of a fault, which Examiner finds taught by the cleaning and re-cleaning of recycled parts in the production device in Ebato. The cleaned parts are integral to the production device’s function, and this teaches the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed language “functional component of the production device”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fischer (EP2236199, referred to as Fischer) in view of Zhiming et al. (CN101862688, referred to as Zhiming), and further in view of Ebato et al. (JP10202210, referred to as Ebato).
Regarding claim 1: Fischer discloses: A production device comprising: an isolator housing to receive, in an interior of the production device, functional components of the production device and products to be processed by the production device wherein the isolator housing [hermetically] seals the functional components and the products to be processed from the surroundings of the isolator housing, wherein the functional components of the production device are configured to process the products to be processed; ([0006] the necessary vials are placed one after the other by a robot gripper in a mixing room of clean room class A b) a mixing container is placed by the robot gripper onto a mixing scale in the mixing room and its weight is measured and stored in the computer, c) a robot syringe with a suction piston is inserted into the individual reactant vials provided in the mixing chamber one after the other, piercing the septum, until the robot syringe applies a set pressure to the bottom of the reactant vial,) [0016] All three rooms 1, 10 and 13 consist of flat, smooth surfaces, making them easy to clean, and they can be closed with doors or covers.) at least one robot received in the isolator housing, ([0010] The mixing room 10 contains a robot that functions similarly to a bridge crane.) wherein the at least one robot is operable to carry out specific tasks; ([0012] The robot gripper 15 can be seen here, which can grasp the vials in the shelf trays 4 below or can place them in a targeted manner in these shelf trays 4. To the right of this, the robot syringe 16 can be seen, which can move through the septum into the individual vials in the shelf trays 4. [0010] This carousel 19 is motor-driven and the motor is controllable by the computer 6, just as the entire robot with its gripper 15 and its syringe 16 can be controlled in its movements) at least one linear movement unit received in the isolator housing and configured to move the at least one robot along a linear movement axis; ([0010] The gripper 15 and the syringe 16 can move back and forth on the rail 11 1 , and the entire rail 11 can move forwards and backwards and, furthermore, the gripper 15 and the syringe 16 can move up and down on the rail 11 by means of a mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic drive. … This carousel 19 is motor-driven and the motor is controllable by the computer 6, just as the entire robot with its gripper 15 and its syringe 16 can be controlled in its movements. [0012] Both elements, i.e. the robot gripper 15 as well as the robot syringe 16, can move back and forth along the rail 11 together and move forwards or backwards together with the rail 11. In addition, the gripper 15 and the syringe 16 can move up and down on the rail 11, so they can move in all three spatial directions. These movements, which are driven by linear motors, are controlled by the computer and the paths are recorded by sensors so that the computer always knows the position of the gripper 15 and the tip of the syringe 16.) and at least one control unit to control one or more of a movement or an operation of the at least one robot, ([0010] This carousel 19 is motor-driven and the motor is controllable by the computer 6, just as the entire robot with its gripper 15 and its syringe 16 can be controlled in its movements) [wherein the at least one robot is controllable for: i) detecting at least one fault of a particular functional component of the production device within the isolator housing, ii) eliminating the at least one fault of the particular functional component of the production device within the isolator housing, and iii) subsequent to eliminating the at least one fault of the particular functional component of the production device, performing a washing or disinfection process for which the at least one robot a) picks up a washing gun that is within the isolator housing and b) runs a programmed cycle.]
Fischer does not explicitly disclose: [hermetically seals] ; [wherein the at least one robot is controllable for: i) detecting at least one fault of a particular functional component of the production device within the isolator housing, ii) eliminating the at least one fault of the particular functional component of the production device within the isolator housing, and iii) subsequent to eliminating the at least one fault, performing a washing or disinfection process for which the at least one robot a) picks up a washing gun that is within the isolator housing and b) runs a programmed cycle.]
Fischer does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however, Zhiming, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches: hermetically seals ([0004] the exhaust passage is sealed to the first filtration chamber and the working chamber; … the second blower and the second high efficient air exhaust filter are arranged position close to the outlet of the exhaust passage are respectively hermetically connected with a glove window and a transmit window on the front face and side face of the chamber.)
Examiners Note: Fischer discloses a production area capable of being closed, but not hermetically sealed. A hermetically sealed production area is taught by Zhiming
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the production area of Fischer to enable the hermetic sealing of Zhiming.
The motivation for modification would have been to provide further sealing capability in the closing of the production area to further prevent particulate matter from entering the production area.
Fischer does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however, Ebato, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches: i) detecting at least one fault of a particular functional component of the production device within the isolator housing ([0027] Further, the robot arm 2 is disposed in the cleaning booth isolated from the peripheral (not shown), together with carbon dioxide gas vaporized during the cleaning operation is prevented from scattering to the ambient atmosphere, said robot arm ensuring safety at the time of 2 of operation is achieved. [0017] In the previous claim 1, wherein the cleaning system according to the degree of dirt recycled parts to be cleaned, but prior to the start of the cleaning operation is to determine the work, it is extremely portion of recycled parts in such systems cleaning of failure or if it is dirty is concerned. However, according to the technical means of the third aspect, while the above-mentioned dirt amount detection sensor detects the degree of dirt recycled parts in the working region of the washing nozzle, the cleaning discriminating means based on a detection result of the detection sensor since There has been configured necessity of cleaning of the working site so as to direct to the controller, the controller according to an instruction of the cleaning discriminating means, thereby efficiently moving the robot arm to a site cleaning operation is required be able to. Thus, truncated or cleaning operation itself washing time is omitted for the lighter portions dirt degree, in addition to high efficiency of working efficiency can be improved, and repeated relatively heavy part dirt degree becomes the cleaning operation is performed, the occurrence of cleaning failure can be prevented.) , ii) eliminating the at least one fault of the particular functional component of the production device within the isolator housing, and ([0018] Since already washing operation is to detect the dirt amount of the site was made in the former case, the determination by the washing discriminating means comprises a determination of necessity of re-washing operation with respect to the detection site (claim 4). In contrast, since the detecting contamination of sites not yet cleaning operation is performed in the latter case, judgment by the washing judging means becomes the necessity of determining the cleaning operation itself for the detection site (claim 5).) iii) subsequent to eliminating the at least one fault, performing a washing or disinfection process for which the at least one robot a) picks up a washing gun that is within the isolator housing and b) runs a programmed cycle. ([0027] Further, the robot arm 2 is disposed in the cleaning booth isolated from the peripheral (not shown), together with carbon dioxide gas vaporized during the cleaning operation is prevented from scattering to the ambient atmosphere, said robot arm ensuring safety at the time of 2 of operation is achieved. [0018] the dirt amount detecting sensor, to the cleaning nozzle may be designed to detect the degree of dirt work site that has passed, be one which detects the degree of dirt previous work site where the cleaning nozzle passes it may be. Since already washing operation is to detect the dirt amount of the site was made in the former case, the determination by the washing discriminating means comprises a determination of necessity of re-washing operation with respect to the detection site)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify the production area of Fischer to enable the component washing function of Ebeto.
The motivation for modification would have been to provide cleaning capabilities to the hermetically sealed robotic area and arm.
Regarding claim 2: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: further comprising a circulation device designed to cause air to circulate within the isolator housing. ([0010] To the right of storage room 1 there is a mixing room 10. This is designed as a Class A clean room and is therefore continuously supplied with filtered air [0016] The entire facility as in Figure 1 shown is located in a Class B or C clean room, while the mixing vessel room 13 itself forms a Class A clean room. For this purpose, the mixing vessel room 13 must have an air supply and exhaust nozzle, which are connected to an external fan with a HEPA filter, so that it is constantly supplied with a defined air flow. All three rooms 1, 10 and 13 consist of flat, smooth surfaces, making them easy to clean, and they can be closed with doors or covers.)
Regarding claim 3: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: further comprising a pressure regulating device designed to adjust an internal pressure within the isolator housing with respect to an ambient pressure. ([0016] The entire facility as in Figure 1 shown is located in a Class B or C clean room, while the mixing vessel room 3 itself forms a Class A clean room. For this purpose, the mixing vessel room 3 must have an air supply and exhaust nozzle, which are connected to an external fan with a HEPA filter, so that it is constantly supplied with a defined air flow.)
Regarding claim 4: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein at least one of the at least one linear movement unit comprises at least one rail extending along the movement axis. ([0012] Both elements, i.e. the robot gripper 15 as well as the robot syringe 16, can move back and forth along the rail 11 together and move forwards or backwards together with the rail 11. In addition, the gripper 15 and the syringe 16 can move up and down on the rail 11, so they can move in all three spatial directions. These movements, which are driven by linear motors, are controlled by the computer)
Regarding claim 5: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the at least one robot is configured to perform one or more of (a) changing Petri dishes, (b) installing filling needles, (c) carrying out cleaning processes, (d) picking up and setting down products, (d) diagnosing errors, or (e) correcting the errors. ([0006] a) from a shelf tray containing the reactants required for the preparation of the required infusion in vials with the metal caps removed but the septum (rubber lid) intact, and at computer-detected locations on the shelf tray, the necessary vials are placed one after the other by a robot gripper in a mixing room of clean room class A, b) a mixing container is placed by the robot gripper onto a mixing scale in the mixing room and its weight is measured and stored in the computer, c) a robot syringe with a suction piston is inserted into the individual reactant vials provided in the mixing chamber one after the other, piercing the septum, until the robot syringe applies a set pressure to the bottom of the reactant vial, d) the suction piston is retracted by the computer until the measured volume required for the formulation is removed from the vial, e) the robot syringe is emptied into the mixing vessel by extending the suction piston and the weight of the latter is measured and recorded again, after which steps c) to d) are repeated until the mixture in the desired dose is in the Mixing vessel is reached, f) the robot syringe takes up the contents of the mixing vessel by retracting the suction piston and dispenses them into a previously designated infusion bottle hanging on a carousel by extending the suction piston, g) the robot gripper grasps the empty reactant bottles or those no longer required for the next run as well as the mixing vessel one after the other and disposes of them through a hole in the mixing chamber.)
Regarding claim 6: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the at least one robot comprises one or more of a camera or at least one sensor unit, wherein data generated by at least one of the camera or the sensor unit is output to one or more of a display device or a control device. ([0012] These movements, which are driven by linear motors, are controlled by the computer and the paths are recorded by sensors so that the computer always knows the position of the gripper 15 and the tip of the syringe 16.)
Regarding claim 7: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: further comprising a transport device configured to transport products to be processed in the isolator housing. ([0021] At the push of a button, the dosing and mixing process for a recipe read into the computer starts and is then carried out completely automatically. The gripper 15 first fetches an auxiliary material bottle from the storage room 1 and, after passing the scanner 12 and according to its identification, places it in the larger hole 28 in the shelf tray 4 in the mixing room 1.
The gripper 15 then moves back into the storage room 1 and over the shelf tray 4 and knows in which position (x-y coordinate) the required active ingredient vial 3 with the desired reactant 2 is located. The gripper 15 grasps this vial 3 and holds it in front of the scanner 12 in the storage room 1.
It rotates it around the axis if the barcode is attached to the side so that it can be reliably read by the scanner 12, or if the barcode is located on the bottom of the bottle, the gripper 15 holds the bottle 3 over the scanner 12. After the vial 3 has been correctly identified, the gripper 15 brings it into the mixing chamber 10 and places it there in the shelf tray 4 at a position calculated by the computer 6.
Then we have the second, third, fourth, etc. Vial 3 is taken from storage room 1 in the same way and, after proper identification, placed in mixing room 10. The robot also fetches a mixing vessel 24 from storage room 1 and places it on the mixing scale 17. Once the necessary vials 3 with their reactants 2 as well as the excipient bottle and the mixing vessel 24 are prepared in the mixing chamber 10, the dosing and mixing can begin.)
Regarding claim 8: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the functional components include a filling machine for filling products. ([0021] At the push of a button, the dosing and mixing process for a recipe read into the computer starts and is then carried out completely automatically. The gripper 15 first fetches an auxiliary material bottle from the storage room 1 and, after passing the scanner 12 and according to its identification, places it in the larger hole 28 in the shelf tray 4 in the mixing room 1. The gripper 15 then moves back into the storage room 1 and over the shelf tray 4 and knows in which position (x-y coordinate) the required active ingredient vial 3 with the desired reactant 2 is located. The gripper 15 grasps this vial 3 and holds it in front of the scanner 12 in the storage room 1. It rotates it around the axis if the barcode is attached to the side so that it can be reliably read by the scanner 12, or if the barcode is located on the bottom of the bottle, the gripper 15 holds the bottle 3 over the scanner 12. After the vial 3 has been correctly identified, the gripper 15 brings it into the mixing chamber 10 and places it there in the shelf tray 4 at a position calculated by the computer 6. Then we have the second, third, fourth, etc. Vial 3 is taken from storage room 1 in the same way and, after proper identification, placed in mixing room 10. The robot also fetches a mixing vessel 24 from storage room 1 and places it on the mixing scale 17. Once the necessary vials 3 with their reactants 2 as well as the excipient bottle and the mixing vessel 24 are prepared in the mixing chamber 10, the dosing and mixing can begin. [0024] There, the infusion bottle 20, which has previously been rotated to the dispensing position, is pierced with the syringe tip and the piston in the syringe 16 is moved forward so that the syringe contents are dispensed into the infusion bottle 20.)
Regarding claim 9: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer does not explicitly disclose: [wherein the isolator housing comprises an access lock through which products can be introduced into the interior of the production device.]
Zhiming further teaches: wherein the isolator housing comprises an access lock through which products can be introduced into the interior of the production device. ([Summary of the Invention] the transmission window includes a transmission window box, and two sliding doors are hingedly connected to the transmission window box, and the two sliding doors are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the transmission window box; The sliding door is provided with a transparent observation window and a handle; the transmission window box is provided with a lock capable of interlocking with the handle. One sliding door of the transfer window is in the cabinet, and the other sliding door is outside the cabinet. When the experimental items need to be transferred to the cabinet, first open the sliding door outside the cabinet, place the experimental items in the transfer window, and close the sliding door. Next, the operator opens the gloved door on the cabinet through the glove port on the cabinet. Pull the door and complete the operation of removing the experimental items in the cabinet. The situation inside the transfer window box can be observed through the transparent observation window. Preferably, a sliding door interlocking mechanism is provided in the transmission window box body; the sliding door interlocking mechanism includes a pair of movable hooks, one of which is used to hook a sliding door and the other is used for Hook the other sliding door so that it cannot be opened when the other sliding door is opened. The use of the sliding door interlocking mechanism ensures that only one sliding door can be opened, thereby further ensuring that the experimental operation process will not pollute the laboratory environment … The items needed for the experiment enter the working room through the transfer window to ensure that the experimental operation process does not pollute the laboratory environment.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify the production area of Fischer to enable the locking mechanism for component introduction of Zhiming.
The motivation for modification would have been to provide further sealing capability in the loading and unloading into the production area to further prevent particulate matter from entering the production area.
Regarding claim 10: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the circulation device comprises a filter unit. ([0016] the mixing vessel room 3 must have an air supply and exhaust nozzle, which are connected to an external fan with a HEPA filter, so that it is constantly supplied with a defined air flow. All three rooms 1, 10 and 13 consist of flat, smooth surfaces, making them easy to clean, and they can be closed with doors or covers.)
Regarding claim 11: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the transport device is arranged above the at least one linear movement unit. ( [0010] The gripper 15 and the syringe 16 can move back and forth on the rail 11 1 , and the entire rail 11 can move forwards and backwards and, furthermore, the gripper 15 and the syringe 16 can move up and down on the rail 11 by means of a mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic drive. [0021] The gripper 15 first fetches an auxiliary material bottle from the storage room 1 and, after passing the scanner 12 and according to its identification, places it in the larger hole 28 in the shelf tray 4 in the mixing room 1. The gripper 15 then moves back into the storage room 1 and over the shelf tray 4 and knows in which position (x-y coordinate) the required active ingredient vial 3 with the desired reactant 2 is located. The gripper 15 grasps this vial 3 and holds it in front of the scanner 12 in the storage room 1. It rotates it around the axis if the barcode is attached to the side so that it can be reliably read by the scanner 12, or if the barcode is located on the bottom of the bottle, the gripper 15 holds the bottle 3 over the scanner 12. After the vial 3 has been correctly identified, the gripper 15 brings it into the mixing chamber 10 and places it there in the shelf tray 4 at a position calculated by the computer 6.)
Regarding claim 12: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer does not explicitly disclose: [wherein the isolator housing comprises an access lock through which tools can be introduced into the interior of the production device.]
Zhiming further teaches: wherein the isolator housing comprises an access lock through which tools can be introduced into the interior of the production device. ([Summary of the Invention] the transmission window includes a transmission window box, and two sliding doors are hingedly connected to the transmission window box, and the two sliding doors are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the transmission window box; The sliding door is provided with a transparent observation window and a handle; the transmission window box is provided with a lock capable of interlocking with the handle. One sliding door of the transfer window is in the cabinet, and the other sliding door is outside the cabinet. When the experimental items need to be transferred to the cabinet, first open the sliding door outside the cabinet, place the experimental items in the transfer window, and close the sliding door. Next, the operator opens the gloved door on the cabinet through the glove port on the cabinet. Pull the door and complete the operation of removing the experimental items in the cabinet. The situation inside the transfer window box can be observed through the transparent observation window. Preferably, a sliding door interlocking mechanism is provided in the transmission window box body; the sliding door interlocking mechanism includes a pair of movable hooks, one of which is used to hook a sliding door and the other is used for Hook the other sliding door so that it cannot be opened when the other sliding door is opened. The use of the sliding door interlocking mechanism ensures that only one sliding door can be opened, thereby further ensuring that the experimental operation process will not pollute the laboratory environment … The items needed for the experiment enter the working room through the transfer window to ensure that the experimental operation process does not pollute the laboratory environment.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify the production area of Fischer to enable the locking mechanism for component introduction of Zhiming.
The motivation for modification would have been to provide further sealing capability in the loading and unloading into the production area to further prevent particulate matter from entering the production area.
Regarding claim 13: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the at least one robot comprises one or more of a camera or at least one sensor unit, wherein data generated by at least one of the camera or the sensor unit is used for autonomous activities of the robot. ([0012] These movements, which are driven by linear motors, are controlled by the computer and the paths are recorded by sensors so that the computer always knows the position of the gripper 15 and the tip of the syringe 16. [0014] The carousel 19 is rotated with the infusion bottles 20 past the scanner 21 and can be stopped in any desired position, with an accuracy of ±1 mm over the X and Y coordinates, so that a precisely defined infusion bottle 20 is ultimately punctured by the syringe because the system includes position detection. [0021] At the push of a button, the dosing and mixing process for a recipe read into the computer starts and is then carried out completely automatically. The gripper 15 first fetches an auxiliary material bottle from the storage room 1 and, after passing the scanner 12 and according to its identification, places it in the larger hole 28 in the shelf tray 4 in the mixing room 1. The gripper 15 then moves back into the storage room 1 and over the shelf tray 4 and knows in which position (x-y coordinate) the required active ingredient vial 3 with the desired reactant 2 is located.)
Regarding claim 14: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 1,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the robot is remotely controllable by means of a robot controller. ([0007] The problem is further solved by a device for the automated dosing and mixing of active ingredients for the preparation of patient-friendly infusions, for installation in a class B or C clean room, consisting of a computer with robot control software [0010] This carousel 19 is motor-driven and the motor is controllable by the computer 6, just as the entire robot with its gripper 15 and its syringe 16 can be controlled in its movements.)
Regarding claim 15: Rejected using the same rationale as claim 1.
Regarding claim 16: Rejected using the same rationale as claim 1.
Regarding claim 17: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 15,
Fischer further discloses: further comprising a pressure regulating device designed to adjust an internal pressure within the isolator housing with respect to an ambient pressure. ([0006] This object is achieved by a method for the automated metering and mixing of active ingredients for processing infusions appropriate to the patient, having a device for setting up in a clean room of class B or C, consisting of a storage space for educts, a mixing space of clean room class A with continuous aeration and a storage space for the finished products)
Regarding claim 18: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 15,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the at least one robot is configured to perform one or more of (a) changing Petri dishes, (b) installing filling needles, (c) picking up and setting down one or more of the products to be processed, (d) diagnosing errors, or (e) correcting the errors. ([0007] The object is further achieved by a device for the automated metering and mixing of active ingredients for processing infusions appropriate to the patient, for placement in a clean room of class B or C, comprising a computer with robot control software, a storage space for educts with shelf tray, a mixing space of clean room class A with constant ventilation, and therein a shelf tray and a mixing vessel balance and a disposal container, and a storage space for the finished products, with receiving containers carried by a carousel, wherein the mixing space includes a robot with a gripper and with a suction syringe, with which grippers, computer-controlledly determined vials can be fetched from the storage space into the mixing space, and with which suction syringe, computer-controlled educts can be sucked from the vials placed in the mixing chamber and ejected into a mixing vessel on the mixing vessel balance in the mixing chamber, and with which suction syringe, moreover, mixtures can be sucked from the mixing vessel and ejected into the receiving container for the finished product.)
Regarding claim 19: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 15,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the functional components include a filling machine for filling one or more of the products to be processed. ([0007] The object is further achieved by a device for the automated metering and mixing of active ingredients for processing infusions appropriate to the patient, for placement in a clean room of class B or C, comprising a computer with robot control software, a storage space for educts with shelf tray, a mixing space of clean room class A with constant ventilation, and therein a shelf tray and a mixing vessel balance and a disposal container, and a storage space for the finished products, with receiving containers carried by a carousel, wherein the mixing space includes a robot with a gripper and with a suction syringe, with which grippers, computer-controlledly determined vials can be fetched from the storage space into the mixing space, and with which suction syringe, computer-controlled educts can be sucked from the vials placed in the mixing chamber and ejected into a mixing vessel on the mixing vessel balance in the mixing chamber, and with which suction syringe, moreover, mixtures can be sucked from the mixing vessel and ejected into the receiving container for the finished product.)
Regarding claim 20: Fischer, Zhiming, and Ebato teach: The production device of claim 15,
Fischer further discloses: wherein the at least one robot comprises one or more of a camera or a sensor unit, wherein data generated by at least one of the camera or the sensor unit is used for autonomous activities of the robot. ([0021] Upon pressing the button, the dosing and mixing process starts for a recipe read into the computer and is then carried out completely automatically. The gripper 15 first takes up an auxiliary substance bottle from the storage space 1 and, after passing the same at the scanner 12 and according to its identification, places it in the larger hole 28 in the shelf tray 4 in the mixing space 1. The gripper 15 grasps this bottle 3 and holds it in front of the scanner 12 in the storage space 1. it rotates it around the axis if the barcode is laterally attached so that it can be read securely by the scanner 12, or if the barcode is located on the bottle bottom, the gripper 15 holds the bottle 3 via the scanner 12. After this, the second, third, fourth, etc. vial 3 is similarly fetched from the storage space 1 and, after perfect identification, deposited in the mixing space 10. The robot also catches up in the storage space 1 a mixing vessel 24 and places it on the mixing scale 17. Once the necessary vials 3 with their starting materials 2 and the auxiliary bottle and the mixing vessel 24 are provided in the mixing chamber 10, the metering and mixing can begin.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record, and not relied upon, considered pertinent to applicant' s disclosure or directed to the state of art is listed on the enclosed PTO-892.
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/ATTICUS A CAMERON/
Examiner, Art Unit 3658A
/JASON HOLLOWAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3658