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Methods and apparatuses for heating slides carrying specimens

  • US 10,184,862 B2
  • Filed: 11/12/2009
  • Issued: 01/22/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An automated apparatus for processing a microscope slide carrying a specimen, the apparatus comprising:

  • a controller;

    a slide dryer configured to receive a microscope slide automatically positioned on the slide dryer, and automatically hold the microscope slide, which is carrying a specimen, in a substantially vertical orientation, the slide dryer including a conductive slide heater communicatively coupled to the controller, the controller being programmed to automatically command the conductive slide heater to heat an engagement surface of the slide dryer to a temperature greater than about 50 degrees Celsius to generate a sufficient amount of heat so as to conductively heat the specimen on the microscope slide, wherein the engagement surface slopes upwardly at an angle of inclination greater than about 75 degrees;

    a plurality of processing stations having nozzles and configured to automatically dispense one or more fluids from the nozzles such that the one or more fluids contact the specimen carried by the microscope slide after the slide dryer has automatically dried the specimen;

    a transport device positioned to automatically and sequentially transport and deliver a slide transporter, which carries a plurality of specimen-bearing microscope slides, between the slide dryer and the plurality of processing stations; and

    a slide handler that automatically picks up and carries the plurality of specimen-bearing microscope slides between the slide dryer and the slide transporter, the slide handler includes at least one of a slide manipulator, an X-Y-Z transport system, a robotic arm, or a pick and place robot.

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