Unit and method for automatic delivery of specimen slides to a coverslipper
AssigneeLeica Mikrosysteme GmbH
InventorsHeinz Plank, Hubert Goll, Siegfried Tanki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention concerns a unit (2) for automatic delivery of specimen slides to a coverslipper (3). The unit (2) comprises a housing (27) in which a front panel (25) is provided. Also provided is a passage (20) in the housing (27) that is defined substantially by a first and a second cutout (21 and 23) in the first and the second side wall (22 and 24). A transfer position (8) for racks (4) is provided in the region of the cutout (21) in the first side wall (22), and a transport apparatus (9) extends out substantially from the transfer position (8) to beyond the cutout (23) in the second side wall (24).
Claims13
A unit (2) for automatic delivery of specimen slides (6) to a coverslipper (3), the unit (2) comprising:
- a housing (27) including a bottom, a front panel (25), a back wall (29) opposite the front panel (25), and a first and a second side wall (22 and 24) opposite one another, the housing (27) having a passage (20) therethrough defined substantially by a first and a second cutout (21 and 23) in the first and the second side walls (22 and 24);
- a transfer position (8) for a rack (4) of specimen slides (6) provided near the first cutout (21) in the first side wall (22);
- and
- a transport apparatus (9) extending out from the transfer position (8) to beyond the second cutout (23) in the second side wall (24).
A method for automatic delivery of specimen slides to a coverslipper (3), the method comprising the steps of:
- A) depositing a rack (4) with specimen slides (6) in a transfer position (8) of a unit (2) for delivering specimen slides to the coverslipper (3);
- B) picking up the rack (4) from the transfer position (8) using a transport apparatus (9);
- C) displacing the rack (4) in the unit (2) toward the coverslipper (3);
- and
- D) lowering the rack (4) with the specimen slides (6) into the coverslipper (3).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.