Flexible manufacturing system

• US 10,106,974 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xoma (US) LLC (Xoma Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xoma (US) LLC (Xoma Corp.)
• Inventors: Scannon, Patrick J., Bernard, Frank, Dadson, Jr., Alfred C., Tenerowicz, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Savani, Avinash
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECTON, MARTHA M
• Application Number:
  US15/349,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20170058508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 25/00 Auxiliary treatment of workpieces, before or during machining operations, to facilitate the action of the tool or the attainment of a desired final condition of the work, e.g. relief of internal stress
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/343 Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport movable roof parts E04B7/16; floatable buildings B63B; small prefabricated buildings, transportable as a whole, E04H1/12; small garages E04H6/02; tents or canopies, in general E04H15/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/0053 Buildings characterised by their shape or layout grid
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 5/02 Buildings or groups of buildings for industrial purposes, e.g. for power-plants or factories buildings forming part of cooling plants E04H5/10
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4188 characterised by CIM planning or realisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31338 Design, flexible manufacturing cell design
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/51 Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for metal shaping or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53096 including means to provide a controlled environment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/534 Multiple station assembly or disassembly apparatus

Abstract

A flexible, multi-product, multi-technology, expandable facility for manufacturing products, such as biologicals, pharmaceuticals, or chemicals, and manufacturing processes using elements of such a facility.

Claims

1. A clean room system, comprising:

a housing;

a movable corridor;

a first modular unit movably disposed within the housing and connected with the movable corridor, the first modular unit comprising;

a first gowning area located at an end of the first modular unit proximate to the movable corridor;

a first controlled air, sealable, sterilizable clean room within the first modular unit, the clean room having a first entry point for personnel from the movable corridor through the first gowning area;

a first utility room within the first modular unit at an end of the first modular unit distal to the movable corridor, the first utility room having a first point of entry for personnel that is separate from the first clean room entry point, wherein the first utility room is configured to be serviced without entering the first clean room; and

a first HVAC system within the first utility room, the first HVAC system connected with the first clean room via a first supply air duct and a first return air duct, the first HVAC system connected to a central HVAC air-handling unit located within the housing; and

a second modular unit movably disposed within the housing and connected with the movable corridor, the second modular unit comprising;

a second gowning area located at an end of the second modular unit proximate to the movable corridor;

a second controlled air, sealable, sterilizable clean room within the second modular unit, the clean room having a second entry point for personnel from the movable corridor through the second gowning area;

a second utility room within the second modular unit at an end of the second modular unit distal to the movable corridor, the second utility room having a second point of entry for personnel that is separate from the second clean room entry point, wherein the second utility room is configured to be serviced without entering the second clean room or the movable corridor; and

a second HVAC system within the second utility room, the second HVAC system connected with the second clean room via a second supply air duct and a second return air duct, the second HVAC system connected to the central HVAC air-handling unit.

2. The clean room system of claim 1, wherein the first modular unit comprises one or more flexible connectors for supplying the first clean room with steam.

3. The clean room system of claim 1, further comprising one or more flexible connectors for connecting the first modular unit to water, gas, cooling, and heating supplies.

4. The clean room system of claim 1, further comprising a water filtration unit located in the utility room.

5. The clean room system of claim 1, further comprising a bioreactor in the first modular unit.

6. The clean room system of claim 5, wherein the bioreactor includes at least one of a liquid handling device, a refrigerator, a tissue culture hood, or microbiology testing equipment.

7. The clean room system of claim 1, further comprising a protein unit in the second modular unit.

8. The clean room system of claim 7, wherein the protein unit includes at least one of a centrifuge, a liquid chromatography column, a spectrophotometer, or a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) unit.

9. The clean room system of claim 1, further comprising a purification system in the first modular unit.

10. The clean room system of claim 1, wherein the first and second modular units are parallel to one another and project in a same direction from the movable corridor.

11. The clean room system of claim 10, wherein the first and second modular units are of equal to length to one another, distal ends of the first and second modular units being aligned.

12. The clean room system of claim 1, further comprising means for permitting movement of the first modular unit within the housing, the means for permitting movement of the first modular unit positioned under the first modular unit.

13. The clean room system of claim 12, further comprising means for permitting movement of the second modular unit within the housing, the means for permitting movement of the second modular unit positioned under the second modular unit.