Automated slide staining apparatus
AssigneeRushabh Instruments, LLC
InventorsPreyas Shah, Leonard C. Wagner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A slide stainer assembly is disclosed. The slide stainer includes a slide carrier that is configured to carry one or more laboratory slides and a plurality of slide processing stations for processing the slides. A transport member including a plurality of engagement portions is configured for releasably engaging the slide carrier. A drive mechanism is coupled to the transport member. The drive mechanism is configured to move the transport member in a cyclical path such that, in the course of one cycle, the transport member engages a slide carrier docked in a first station, removes the slide carrier from the first station, docks the slide carrier in a second station and returns to the first station to engage another slide carrier.
Claims20
A slide stainer assembly comprising:
- a slide carrier that Is configured to carry one or more laboratory slides;
- two or more slide processing stations, each being configured to process the one or more slides of the slide carrier;
- a transport member including a plurality of engagement portions, each engagement portion configured for releasably engaging the slide carrier;
- and
- a drive mechanism coupled to the transport member, the drive mechanism being configured to move the transport member along a cyclical path such that, in the course of one cycle, the engagement portion of the transport member engages a slide carrier docked in a first station, removes the slide carrier from the first station, docks the slide carrier in a second station, disengages the slide carrier and returns to the first station to engage another slide carrier.
A slide stainer assembly comprising:
- a slide carrier that is configured to carry one or more laboratory slides;
- at least one slide processing station that is configured to process one or more laboratory slides of the slide carrier;
- a storage vessel positioned adjacent the at least one slide processing station that is sized for receiving a plurality of slide carriers;
- and
- a transport member including at least one engagement portion configured for releasably engaging the slide carrier and an extended segment spaced from the engagement portion that is at least partially positioned within or adjacent the storage vessel;
- and
- a drive mechanism coupled to the transport member, the drive mechanism being configured to move the transport member in a cyclical path such that, in the course of a single cycle, (i) the engagement portion of the transport member engages and removes a first slide carrier from the slide processing station, (ii) the extended segment of the transport member translates a second slide carrier that is positioned within the storage vessel to accommodate the first slide carrier within the storage vessel, (iii) the engagement portion of the transport member positions the first slide carrier in the storage vessel adjacent the second slide carrier, and (iv) the engagement portion of the transport member releases the first slide carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.