Barrier system with handling device for automated sampling and method for automated sampling

1. A barrier system ( 10 ) of a production plant ( 12 ), the barrier system ( 10 ) having a closed or separated area ( 14 ) in which a sterile environment ( 16 ) is provided, wherein the barrier system ( 10 ) comprises:

in the closed or separated area ( 14 ), a handling device ( 20 ) and a contact sample holder ( 22 ) are arranged,

wherein the contact sample holder ( 22 ) is configured to provide at least one contact sample ( 24 ), and

wherein the handling device ( 20 ) is configured to automatically remove the contact sample ( 24 ) from the contact sample holder ( 22 ), open the contact sample ( 24 ), and automatically perform sampling of the contact sample ( 24 ) on a surface section ( 42 ) in the closed or separated area ( 14 ) in a reproducible manner.

2. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the handling device ( 20 ) is configured to directly grip said contact sample ( 24 ) during sampling.

3. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the handling device ( 20 ) is configured to feed the contact sample ( 24 ) to a sample carrier ( 40 ) after removal and to move the sample carrier ( 40 ) during sampling.

4. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the contact sample holder ( 22 ) comprises a holder ( 23 ) for the sample carrier ( 40 ).

5. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the handling device ( 20 ) comprises a gripper ( 36 ) with two gripper jaws ( 38 ) which are movable towards and away from each other, and wherein the gripper ( 36 ) is arranged on a gripper member ( 34 ) of the handling device ( 20 ) which is pivotable by at least 90°.

6. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the contact sample holder ( 22 ) is configured to receive a plurality of contact samples ( 24 ) arranged horizontally in the contact sample holder ( 22 ).

7. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the barrier system ( 10 ) further comprises a detection device ( 46 ) configured to detect an identification feature ( 48 ) of the contact sample ( 24 ).

8. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the detection device ( 46 ) comprises one selected from the group consisting of a bar code reader, a DataMatrixCode reader, a plain text code reader and a RFID reader, which is configured to read a corresponding code or an information on a contact sample ( 24 ) or a data carrier, on the contact sample ( 24 ).

9. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the detection device ( 46 ) is configured to detect a location and/or a time of a sample extraction of the contact sample ( 24 ).

10. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the barrier system ( 10 ) comprises a data processing system ( 54 ) which is configured to associate the location and/or the time of the sample extraction in a data record with the identification feature ( 48 ) of the contact sample ( 24 ).

11. The barrier system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the barrier system ( 10 ) is glove-port-free.

12. A method for automated sampling in a closed or separated area ( 14 ) of a barrier system ( 10 ), wherein a sterile environment ( 16 ) is provided in the closed or separated area ( 14 ), wherein the method comprises:

arranging at least one handling device ( 20 ) in the closed or separated area ( 14 ),

providing a contact sample ( 24 ) in the closed or separated area ( 14 ), and

grasping, with the handling device ( 20 ), the provided contact sample ( 24 ), opening it and carrying out sampling on a surface section ( 42 ), which is arranged in the closed or separated area ( 14 ).

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the handling device ( 20 ), after the grasp, places the contact sample ( 24 ) on a sample carrier ( 40 ), opens the contact sample ( 24 ), and, for sampling, grips the sample carrier ( 40 ) and moves the sample carrier ( 40 ) with the contact sample ( 24 ) held thereon to a surface section ( 42 ) in the closed or separated area ( 14 ) and carries out the sampling.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein during sampling the handling device ( 20 ) orients the contact sample ( 24 ) or the sample carrier ( 40 ) with the contact sample ( 24 ) held thereon in such a way that a sample surface ( 31 ) of the contact sample ( 24 ) is aligned parallel to, and is pressed against, a surface ( 43 ) of the surface section ( 42 ).

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the handling device ( 20 ) closes the contact sample ( 24 ) after sampling.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the handling device ( 20 ) feeds the contact sample ( 24 ) to a detection device ( 46 ) before or after sampling, and the detection device ( 46 ) detects an identification feature of the contact sample ( 24 ) and assigns the identification feature ( 48 ) to a sampling.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein at least one contact sample holder ( 22 ) is provided for holding the contact sample ( 24 ), and the handling device ( 20 ) performs at least one selected from the group consisting of removing the contact sample ( 24 ) from the contact sample holder ( 22 ) before sampling, and feeding the contact sample ( 24 ) to the contact sample holder ( 22 ) after sampling.

18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein, after a first production interval a first sampling is performed with first sampling parameters and that after a second production interval a second sampling is performed with second sampling parameters, and wherein the first and second sampling parameters comprise at least one identical sampling parameter.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the first and second sampling parameters comprise one or more of the following parameters: sample contact pressure, sample contact duration, and sampling location.

20. A method for automated sampling in a closed or separated area ( 14 ) of a barrier system ( 10 ) of a production plant ( 12 ), wherein a sterile environment ( 16 ) is provided in the closed or separated area ( 14 ), wherein

at least two handling devices ( 20 ) are arranged in the closed or separated area ( 14 ), and

a contact sample ( 24 ) is provided in the closed or separated area, and

wherein the method comprises the following steps:

one of the handling devices ( 20 ) grasps the provided contact sample ( 24 ),

one of the handling devices ( 20 ) opens the provided contact sample ( 24 ),

one of the handling devices ( 20 ) performs sampling with the contact sample ( 24 ) on a surface portion ( 42 ) in the closed or separated area ( 14 ), and

wherein each of the handling devices ( 20 ) carries out at least one of the steps of the method.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the method comprises one or more of the following steps:

closing the contact sample ( 24 ) after the sampling,

placing the contact sample ( 24 ) after the grasp on a sample carrier ( 40 ) which holds the contact sample ( 24 ), in particular in a force-locking and/or form-locking manner, and

gripping the sample carrier ( 40 ) for sampling and moving the sample carrier ( 40 ) with the contact sample ( 24 ) held thereon to a surface section ( 42 ) in the closed or separated area ( 14 ) and subsequently carrying out the sampling.