US 6,635,225 B1Granted

Automatic stainer for staining objects for microscopic examination

AssigneeLeica Microsystem Nussloch GmbH

InventorsStefan Thiem, Ralf Kaltenmeier, Eric Barth, Joachim Glasenapp, Stefan Kunkel

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An automatic stainer for staining objects, arranged on slides for microscopic examination is described. The automatic stainer has multiple reagent containers arranged one behind another for treating the objects. The slides pass through the reagent containers in succession, a transport basket for receiving multiple slides being provided. Multiple transport baskets can be received simultaneously in respective different reagent containers, and are simultaneously lifted out of the respective reagent container by way of a motorized transport mechanism having a lifting device and are respectively transported on into an adjacent reagent container. A removal station that has a collecting reagent container for the simultaneous reception of multiple transport baskets is arranged at the end of the row of reagent containers.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An automatic stainer for staining objects on slides for microscopic examination, comprising:

(a) multiple reagent containers arranged in a row for treating the objects on slides, wherein the slides pass through the reagent containers in succession and wherein the multiple reagent containers comprise a last container, the last container being a collecting reagent container;
(b) multiple transport baskets for receiving said slides wherein more than one transport basket is received simultaneously in respective different reagent containers;
(c) transport clips detachably attached to the transport baskets;
(d) a motorized transport mechanism comprising a lifting device for simultaneously lifting out said transport baskets of the respective reagent container with the transport clips and transporting said transport baskets, one step in each case, into an adjacent reagent container;
(i) the lifting device comprising a transport arm with a step profile;
(ii) the transport arm, in the region of the reagent containers, comprises a first transport arm section which comprises a transport notch for the receipt of the transport clips during transport;
(iii) the transport arm, in the region of the collecting reagent container, comprises a slide bar for the receipt of the transport clips during transport of the transport baskets in the collecting reagent container;
and
(iv) the slide bar of the transport arm is arranged below the transport notch;
and
(e) a removal station comprising the collecting reagent container for receiving of said multiple transport baskets arranged at the end of said row of reagent containers;
and
wherein said stepped profile is in the region of the collecting reagent container, so that the transport baskets are lifted up into the collecting reagent container and then are transported on in steps within said collecting reagent container and wherein the step profile of the transport arm is made from the transport arm section and the slide bar.

10 more elements

An automatic stainer for staining objects on slides for microscopic examination, comprising:

(a) multiple reagent containers arranged in a row for treating the objects on slides, wherein the slides pass through the reagent containers in succession and wherein the multiple reagent containers comprise a last container, the last container being a collecting reagent container;
(b) multiple transport baskets for receiving said slides wherein more than one transport basket is received simultaneously in respective different reagent containers;
(c) transport clips detachably attached to the transport baskets;
(d) a motorized transport mechanism comprising a lifting device for simultaneously lifting out said transport baskets of the respective reagent container with the transport clips and for transporting said transport baskets, one step in each case, into an adjacent reagent container;
(i) the lifting device comprising a transport arm with a step profile;
(ii) the transport arm, in the region of the reagent containers, comprises a first transport arm section which comprises a transport notch for the receipt of the transport clips during transport;
(iii) the transport arm, in the region of the collecting reagent container, comprises a slide bar for the receipt of the transport clips during transport of the transport baskets in the collecting reagent container;
and
(iv) the slide bar of the transport arm is arranged below the transport notch;
and
(e) a removal station comprising the collecting reagent container for the simultaneously receiving of said multiple transport baskets arranged at the end of said row of reagent containers and wherein the step profile of the transport arms is made from the first transport arm section and the slide bar;
wherein said stepped profile is in the region of the collecting reagent container, so that the transport baskets are lifted up into the collecting reagent container and then are transported in steps within the collecting reagent container,
(g) a sensor arranged opposite an end stop of the removal station;
(f) a control circuit connected to the sensor;
and
(h) a time-delay logic system associated with the control circuit.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.