Process and apparatus for the treatment of samples with a succession of liquids
AssigneeLKB-Produkter AB
InventorSoren W. Rasmussen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process and apparatus for the staining of biological samples in which fluids of differing specific densities are successively introduced to the samples comprises a closed chamber to receive the samples for treatment, the chamber being provided with flow passages at the top and bottom and is in communication with an under pressure generating device so that fluids may be introduced into the chamber either from the top or the bottom depending upon whether a succeeding fluid is of lesser, or greater, specific density than the preceding fluid.
Claims8
Apparatus providing a closed system for the treatment of samples with a succession of liquids, such as the staining of biological samples, comprising:
- a closed chamber within which said samples are to be successively treated by said succession of liquids;
- said chamber including removable closure means for the insertion and removal of said samples;
- said chamber being provided with respective bores at the top and bottom thereof for the selective flow of fluid into the closed chamber through a respective one of said bores and the simultaneously outflow of fluid from the closed chamber through the respective other of said bores;
- a plurality of flexible-walled closed containers for supplying the respective liquids for treatment of said samples, each of said containers having an outlet for the discharge of contained liquid;
- flow controlling means including reversing valve means for selective connection with a respective one of the outlets of said flexible-walled containers and for selectively connecting said one outlet with one of the bores of the closed chamber to conduct the contained liquid into the chamber selectively at the top or the bottom of the chamber depending upon whether the ratio between the specific density of the succeeding liquid is higher or lower than the specific density of the preceding liquid, and;
- a source of vacuum having a pump and an inlet;
- said flow controlling means also including means for selectively connecting the inlet of the source of vacuum to the other bore of the closed chamber to induce flow of liquid from one of said containers into said chamber through said one bore from top to bottom or from bottom to top depending upon the density ratio between the succeeding and preceding liquids to flow through the chamber.
Process for the treatment of samples with a succession of liquids, such as the staining of biological samples comprising the steps:
- placing a sample to be treated into a closed chamber;
- placing each of the liquids into a separate closed supply vessel having a variable volume;
- filling each vessel with the selected one of said liquids and expelling gases therefrom;
- introducing a first liquid into said chamber from a supply vessel and filling the chamber completely to exclude gases therefrom;
- introducing a second liquid into said chamber from another supply vessel without introducing gas from the atmosphere and without mixing the first and second liquids while simultaneously withdrawing the liquid previously introduced into the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.