# US 2022/0032307 A1 · Reagent cassette > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0032307 A1 - Document ID: US20220032307A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/278,982 - Filed: 2019-12-13 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-14 - Assignees: Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Ltd - Applicants: Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Ltd - Inventors: Paul DARBYSHIRE; Maxim Stanislaw PAM I ETA; Mark WILCOCK; Gregory William BOYES - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220032307A1 ## CPC - B01L 3/527: {for a plurality of reagents} - B01L 9/06: Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders - B01L 3/523: {with means for closing or opening} - G01N 1/312: {for samples mounted on planar substrates} - G01N 35/00732: {Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers} - G01N 35/1002: {Reagent dispensers} - B01L 2200/14: Process control and prevention of errors - B01L 2200/16: Reagents, handling or storing thereof - B01L 2300/123: Flexible; Elastomeric - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - 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) ## Abstract A cassette for arranging and loading reagent containers into a staining apparatus includes a housing with a base and walls upstanding from the base to define a plurality of compartments. Each compartment is configured for receiving a reagent container. The housing includes two portions, pivotably coupled together at respective first ends thereof, and configured to pivot between an open configuration and a closed configuration. Each portion of the housing in the closed configuration is received within a corresponding one of an adjacent pair of channels located within the staining apparatus when the cassette is loaded therewithin. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -24. (canceled) ### Claim 25 A cassette for arranging and loading reagent containers into a staining apparatus, the cassette including: a housing with a base and walls upstanding from the base to define a plurality of compartments, each compartment being configured for receiving a reagent container, wherein, the housing includes two portions, pivotably coupled together at respective first ends thereof, and configured to pivot between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and wherein, each portion of the housing in the closed configuration is receivable within a corresponding one of an adjacent pair of channels located within the staining apparatus when the cassette is loaded therewithin. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein each portion of the housing includes at the location of each compartment, an aperture extending substantially through a wall thereof to at least partially receive a corresponding protrusion of a reagent container received within the compartment to ensure that the reagent container is correctly placed within the compartment. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A cassette according to claim 26, wherein the wall of each housing portion is a side wall, and wherein only the apertures associated with one of the two housing portions are externally facing when the housing is in the closed configuration. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A cassette according to claim 27, wherein each reagent container includes a lid pivotably coupled to a wall of the reagent container, and the cassette is configured such that only when the housing is in the open configuration can the lids of those reagent containers received within the compartments associated with both of the two housing portions be opened. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, further including locking means to lock the two housing portions in position when the housing is in the closed configuration. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A cassette according to claim 29, wherein the locking means is located at respective seconds ends of each of the two housing portions. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) A cassette according to claim 30, wherein the locking means takes the form of a snap-fit arrangement, in which the second end of one housing portion includes a cantilever hook and the second end of the other housing portion, includes a complementary recess configured to receive the cantilever hook when the housing is in the closed configuration. ### Claim 32 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein, when the housing is in the closed configuration, the two housing portions are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance that corresponds to the spacing between the adjacent pair of channels located within the staining apparatus. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) A cassette according to claim 32, wherein the base extends outwardly from opposing lateral side walls of the housing to define a pair of flanges such that when the housing is in the closed configuration, the flanges of each portion of the housing can be slidingly received by a corresponding pair of laterally opposing alignment guides associated with each of the adjacent pair of channels located within the staining apparatus when the cassette is loaded substantially therewithin. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein at least one of the two housing portions includes a recess configured to receive a spring-biased detent pin, the movement of which is actuated by a solenoid lock associated with the staining apparatus, to lock the cassette substantially in place within the staining apparatus when the cassette is loaded substantially therewithin. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) A cassette according to claim 34, wherein the recess is located at the first end of the at least one housing portion and/or the recess extends through a portion and/or the recess extends through a portion of the base associated with the at least one housing portion. ### Claim 36 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, further including a handle to facilitate loading and unloading of the cassette into and out of the staining apparatus. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) A cassette according to claim 36, wherein the handle is located at a second end of the housing portion that includes the recess located at the first end thereof and/or the handle includes a display panel for displaying an identifier associated with the identity of the plurality of reagent containers loaded within the compartments thereof. ### Claim 38 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, further including locking means to lock the two housing portions in position when the housing is in the open configuration. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) A cassette according to claim 38, wherein the locking means is located at respective first ends of each of the two housing portions and/or the locking means takes the form of a snap-fit arrangement, in which the first end of one housing portion includes a cantilever hook and the first end of the other housing portion includes a complementary lip configured to engage the cantilever hook when the housing is in the open configuration. ### Claim 40 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein, each channel of an adjacent pair of channels located within the staining apparatus includes a sensor configured to determine the presence of a corresponding one of the two housing portions when the cassette is loaded into the staining apparatus with the housing in the closed configuration. ### Claim 41 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein, when the cassette is loaded into the staining apparatus, each compartment of the housing is positioned at a predetermined location within the staining apparatus, such that a probe associated with the staining apparatus can be inserted through an opening of the reagent container received within each compartment with positional accuracy to withdraw a reagent therefrom. ### Claim 42 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein the housing is manufactured from an engineering polymer selected from the group including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or the housing is manufactured from stainless steel. ### Claim 43 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein the walls defining each of the plurality of compartments include at least one rib to provide a frictional fitting with the reagent container when the reagent container is received therein. ### Claim 44 (depends on 25) A cassette according to claim 25, wherein the base includes a draining aperture at the location of each of the plurality of compartments.