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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b ) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the appl icant regards as his invention. A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 1 recites the broad recitation moving containers, and the claim also recites vials or the like which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim is considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims. Regarding claim 1, the phrase "or the like" renders the claim(s) indefinite because the claim(s) include(s) elements not actually disclosed (those encompassed by "or the like"), thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). Regarding claim 1, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). Since claims 2-9, depend upon an indefinite claim, either directly or indirectly, those claims are construed to be indefinite by dependency. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale , or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Merz et al. (US 2023/0152036) . The claims are reasonably and broadly construed, in light of the accompanying specification, to be disclosed by Merz as teaching: a freeze drying installation (see title and abstract), including a device 10 for moving containers 58 such as vials or the like along a surface 40 supporting the containers to load and/or unload the containers (figures 1, 2) into a freeze dryer processing chamber (paragraph [0021] , [0022] ), wherein the device comprises two articulated arms ( 32 , 84 and paragraph [0265] ), wherein each articulated arm comprises a first rigid upper arm ( figures 2, 3 ) and a first rigid lower arm ( figures 10, 11 ) connected to each other by a first rotary joint ( figures 11, 12 ), wherein ends of the two articulated arms are connected to a rigid transfer bar 50 ( figures 49, 50 ) by articulated joints ( figures 1, 2 ), which are spaced apart from each other when seen along an extension axis ( figures 51, 52 ) of the transfer bar, and wherein the two articulated arms are driven by at least one driving unit ( figures 40, 41 ) in a synchronized manner such that the transfer bar is movable along a loading and/or unloading axis ( figures 35, 36 ) to load or unload containers into or from the freeze dryer processing chamber ( paragraphs [0271], [0273] ). Merz also discloses the claim 2 feature w herein the loading and/or unloading axis is perpendicular to the extension axis of the transfer bar ( figures 27, 29 ) , the claim 4 feature wherein a storage position of the articulated arms the first upper arm and the first lower arm of each of the articulated arms are arranged in parallel or essentially in parallel with the extension axis of the transfer bar (figures 30, 36), the claim 5 wherein one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the articulated arms comprises a second upper arm and a second lower arm connected to each other by a second rotary joint ( figures 34, 35 ) , the claim 8 feature wherein the articulated arms are arranged on a first side of a supporting platform and in that the at least one driving unit is arranged on a second side of the supporting platform which is opposite the first side (figures 47, 48) and the claim 9 feature wherein the first side is part of a classified process area and in that the second side is outside of the classified process area (figures 51, 52) . 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 3, 6, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merz . Merz disclosed the claimed invention, as rejected above, except for the claimed opposite directions or concentric features. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to recited those features because the teachings of Merz would perform the invention as claimed, regardless of those features and applicants have not claimed or specified the criticality of those features as being necessary for patentability. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Other prior art references cited with this action may teach one or more claim features, but do not rise to a level of anticipation, obviousness, and/or double patenting such that a rejection would be proper or reasonable under current Office procedure and practice. References A, N, O, cited with this action, are patent publications, from the same inventive entity as the current application. References B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, P, Q, cited with this action teach freeze dryer installations. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT STEPHEN MICHAEL GRAVINI whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-4875 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-Th 5:30 am to 5:00 ( mid day flex) first F 6:00 am t0 11:00 am . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Craig Schneider can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571 272 3607 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. Saturday, March 21, 2026 /STEPHEN M GRAVINI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753