Granted Patent B2

US 12,606,786 · App. 17/878,996 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Inventors: Armin Merz (Ellwangen, DE); Roland Engelhard (Aurach-Weinberg, DE)

Assignee: GRONINGER & CO. GMBH

C12M23/50B25J11/00B25J21/005C12M23/38C12M41/14C12M41/48

Abstract

Claims (43)

1 . A method for automated microbial monitoring in an isolator, the isolator having a transfer lock, the method comprising the following steps:

first providing of at least one nutrient medium carrier holder at in each case a first position within the isolator;

second providing of at least one nutrient medium carrier within the transfer lock;

first robot-assisted transferring of an individual nutrient medium carrier of the at least one nutrient medium carrier from the transfer lock to a free nutrient medium carrier holder of the at least one nutrient medium carrier holder, wherein the first robot-assisted transferring step transfers the individual nutrient medium carrier one at a time; and

first robot-assisted placing of the transferred nutrient medium carrier in the free nutrient medium carrier holder.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method comprises, before the step of the first robot-assisted transferring, the following step:

first robot-assisted removing of the nutrient medium carrier, which is to be transferred, from the transfer lock.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each nutrient medium carrier has a dish with nutrient medium and a lid which is placed on an opening of the dish, the method further comprising the following steps:

third providing of at least one lid holder for storing the lid of the transferred nutrient medium carrier, the at least one lid holder being provided at in each case a second position within the isolator.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises the following steps:

robot-assisted removing of the lid from the dish of the transferred nutrient medium carrier;

second robot-assisted transferring of the lid from the nutrient medium carrier holder to a free lid holder of the at least one lid holder; and

robot-assisted depositing of the lid on the free lid holder.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises the following steps, after the transferred nutrient medium carrier has spent a predefined period of time in the corresponding nutrient medium carrier holder:

robot-assisted picking-up of the lid from the lid holder;

third robot-assisted transferring of the lid from the lid holder to the corresponding nutrient medium carrier holder; and

robot-assisted fitting of the lid onto the dish of the nutrient medium carrier.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the following steps, after the transferred nutrient medium carrier has spent a predefined period of time in the corresponding nutrient medium carrier holder:

second robot-assisted removing of the nutrient medium carrier from the nutrient medium carrier holder;

fourth robot-assisted transferring of the nutrient medium carrier from the nutrient medium carrier holder to the transfer lock; and

second robot-assisted placing of the nutrient medium carrier in the transfer lock.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the step of the first providing, a microbial monitoring device with at least one nutrient medium carrier holder is provided.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the microbial monitoring device has a housing in which the at least one nutrient medium carrier holder is arranged, the housing having a housing lid, wherein the method further comprises the following steps:

fourth providing of a housing lid holder within the isolator at a third position;

robot-assisted removing of the housing lid; and

robot-assisted depositing of the housing lid on the housing lid holder.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein, in the step of the second providing, a plurality of nutrient medium carriers are provided in the transfer lock, wherein, in the step of the third providing, a storage device with a plurality of holders is provided at the second position, wherein the holders are each able to serve as a nutrient medium carrier holder or lid holder.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein, in the step of the second providing, the plurality of nutrient medium carriers are provided in a nutrient medium carrier retainer in the transfer lock.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the step of the second providing, each nutrient medium carrier is provided in a further nutrient medium carrier holder, wherein each further nutrient medium carrier holder is arranged in the transfer lock.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein each further nutrient medium carrier holder can extend at least partially out of the transfer lock into the isolator, wherein the step of the first robot-assisted transferring takes place in such a way that the respective further nutrient medium carrier holder extends at least partially out of the transfer lock into the isolator and the corresponding nutrient medium carrier is transferred, with robot assistance, from the respective further nutrient medium carrier holder to the free nutrient medium carrier holder within the isolator.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a robot is arranged in the isolator, wherein the robot has an end effector for handling a nutrient medium carrier and a support structure for supporting the end effector, wherein the support structure is configured to move the end effector in the isolator, wherein the end effector is configured to grip the nutrient medium carrier.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the number of nutrient medium carriers provided in the transfer lock is one to ten nutrient medium carriers.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the number of nutrient medium carrier holders provided in the isolator is equal to or greater than the number of nutrient medium carriers provided in the transfer lock.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the number of lid holders provided in the isolator is equal to or greater than the number of nutrient medium carriers provided in the transfer lock.

17 . A system for automated microbial monitoring in an isolator, wherein the system has the isolator, at least one nutrient medium carrier holder, a robot arranged in the isolator, and a control device, wherein the isolator has a transfer lock, wherein at least one nutrient medium carrier is provided in the transfer lock, wherein the nutrient medium carrier holder is arranged at a first position within the isolator, wherein the robot has an end effector for handling a nutrient medium carrier and a support structure for supporting the end effector, wherein the support structure is configured to move the end effector in the isolator, wherein the end effector is configured to grip the nutrient medium carrier, and wherein the control device is configured to carry out the following steps:

first robot-assisted transferring of in each case an individual nutrient medium carrier of the at least one nutrient medium carrier from the transfer lock to a free nutrient medium carrier holder of the at least one nutrient medium carrier holder, wherein the first robot-assisted transferring step transfers the individual nutrient medium carrier one at a time; and

first robot-assisted placing of the transferred nutrient medium carrier in the free nutrient medium carrier holder.

18 . The system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the end effector has a receptacle for receiving the nutrient medium carrier, which receptacle is movable between a receiving position, in which the nutrient medium carrier can be received, and a gripping position, in which the nutrient medium carrier can be gripped, wherein each nutrient medium carrier for transferring can be gripped by means of the end effector and moved by means of the robot within the isolator.

19 . The system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the system has a microbial monitoring device with at least one nutrient medium carrier holder, wherein the microbial monitoring device has a housing in which at least one nutrient medium carrier holder is arranged, wherein the housing has a housing lid, wherein the housing lid is removable by means of the robot, wherein the system has a housing lid holder for storing the housing lid, wherein the housing lid holder is arranged at a third position within the isolator.

20 . The system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein each nutrient medium carrier has a dish with nutrient medium and a lid which is placed on an opening of the dish, wherein the lid can be removed by means of the robot, wherein the system furthermore has at least one lid holder for storing the lid, wherein the at least one lid holder is arranged inside the isolator at a second position in each case.

21 . A computer program with a program code which is configured, when executed in the control device of a system for automated microbial monitoring in an isolator, wherein the system has the isolator, at least one nutrient medium carrier holder, a robot arranged in the isolator, and the control device, wherein the isolator has a transfer lock, wherein at least one nutrient medium carrier is provided in the transfer lock, wherein the nutrient medium carrier holder is arranged at a first position within the isolator, wherein the robot has an end effector for handling a nutrient medium carrier and a support structure for supporting the end effector, wherein the support structure is configured to move the end effector in the isolator, wherein the end effector is configured to grip the nutrient medium carrier, to carry out the following steps:

first robot-assisted transferring of an individual nutrient medium carrier of the at least one nutrient medium carrier from the transfer lock to a free nutrient medium carrier holder of the at least one nutrient medium carrier holder, wherein the first robot-assisted transferring step transfers the individual nutrient medium carrier one at a time; and

first robot-assisted placing of the transferred nutrient medium carrier in the free nutrient medium carrier holder.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (14)