# US 2019/0316993 A1 · Disposable container for stains or reagents for staining machines of biological material and staining system comprising said container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0316993 A1 - Document ID: US20190316993A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/471,037 - Filed: 2016-12-20 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-20 - Assignees: Diapath S.P.A. - Applicants: Diapath S.P.A. - Inventors: Carmelo LUPO; Alberto BATTISTEL; Federica BERGAMINI; Vladimiro BERGAMINI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190316993A1 ## CPC - G01N 1/31: Apparatus therefor - B01L 3/523: {with means for closing or opening} - G01N 2001/315: {Basket-type carriers for tissues} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract A disposable container (1) for staining or reagent liquid for histological staining machines (100) is described, said staining machines comprising at least one tank (10) delimited on top by an edge (10a) and adapted to contain a staining or reagent liquid. The container (1) comprises a hollow body (1a) defining an inner volume (V) delimited by an end edge (1b), at least one staining or reagent liquid (L) contained in said inner volume (V) and a covering element (2) adapted to seal the inner volume (V). The hollow body (1a) of the container is shaped so as to be insertable inside a tank (10) of a staining machine (100) and the end edge (1b) is shaped substantially complementary to the edge (10a) of the tank (10). A system comprising at least one container according to the present invention and at least one tank for stain or reagent of a staining machine, is also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Disposable container (1) for staining or reagent liquid for histological staining machines (100), said staining machines comprising at least one tank (10) delimited on top by an edge (10a) and adapted to contain a staining or reagent liquid, said container (1) comprising a hollow body (1a) defining an inner volume (V) delimited by an end edge (1b), at least one staining or reagent liquid (L) contained in said inner volume (V) and a covering element (2) adapted to seal the inner volume (V), the hollow body (1a) of the container being shaped so as to be insertable inside said tank (10) of said staining machines (100) and said end edge (1b) being shaped substantially complementary to said edge (10a) of said tank (10). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body (1a) is substantially complementary to the inner volume of said tank (10), said hollow body (1a) of said container (1) being shaped so as to substantially occupy the entire inner volume of said tank (10). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said covering element (2) seals the inner volume (V) of said hollow body at said end edge (1b). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said covering element (2) adapted to seal the inner volume of said hollow body is non-reversibly removable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said covering element (2) is a film adhering at said end edge (1b). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said end edge (1b) comprises at least one supporting notch (3) adapted to accommodate a slide rack. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said end edge (1b) is rested, in use, on said edge (10a) of said at least one tank (10) for staining machines. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, wherein said end edge (1b) comprises a folded portion facing outside of said hollow body (1a) of the container (1). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Container (1) according to claim 1, comprising an identification element (R) for identifying and tracking said container (1), wherein said identification element is of RFID type. ### Claim 10 Staining system to stain biological material for histological staining machines (100), comprising: a tank (10) delimited on top by an edge (10a) and adapted to contain a staining or reagent liquid; and a disposable container (1) comprising a hollow body (1a) defining an inner volume (V) delimited by an end edge (1b), at least one staining or reagent liquid (L) contained in said inner volume (V) and a covering element (2) adapted to seal the inner volume (V), the hollow body (1a) of the container being shaped so as to be insertable inside said tank (10) of said staining machines (100) and said end edge (1b) being shaped substantially complementary to said edge (10a) of said tank (10). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) System according to claim 10, further comprising at least one slide rack. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) System according to claim 10, wherein said said hollow body (1a) of said container (1) is shaped so as to substantially occupy the entire inner volume of said tank (10). ### Claim 13 Staining process to stain biological material for histological staining machines (100) of the type comprising at least one tank (10) delimited on top by an edge (10a) and adapted to contain a staining or reagent liquid, comprising the steps of: a) introducing a first container (1) containing a staining or reagent liquid (L) inside said tank (10); b) extracting said first container (1) from said tank (10) after use or when changing the stain or reagent is desired; c) introducing a second container (1) inside said tank (10). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Process according to claim 13, comprising the step of: d) removing a covering element (2) adapted to seal the inner volume of said container (1), said step being carried out before step a) or between said step a) and step b). ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) Process according to claim 13, comprising the step of: e) reading or detecting data relative to an identification element (R) associated with said container (1) and the staining or reagent liquid (L) contained therein. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Machine (100) for staining biological material for histological use, comprising a container (1) according to claim 1, or a staining system to stain biological material comprising: a tank (10) delimited on top by an edge (10a) and adapted to contain a staining or reagent liquid; and a disposable container (1) comprising a hollow body (1a) defining an inner volume (V) delimited by an end edge (1b), at least one staining or reagent liquid (L) contained in said inner volume (V) and a covering element (2) adapted to seal the inner volume (V), the hollow body (1a) of the container being shaped so as to be insertable inside said tank (10) of said staining machines (100) and said end edge (1b) being shaped substantially complementary to said edge (10a) of said tank (10).