Methods for heating microscope slides carrying specimens
First Claim
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1. A method for processing microscope slides carrying specimens, the method comprising:
- robotically delivering the microscope slides to a drying station, the microscope slides carrying transfer liquid and the specimens, which include tissue sections;
moving the microscope slides within the drying station such that the microscopic slides are positioned at an angle of inclination to promote draining of the transfer liquid from the microscope slides;
heating the microscope slides held at the angle of inclination such that a temperature along each of the microscope slides is higher than about 50 degrees Celsius to at least partially dry specimens carried by the microscope slides;
after at least partially drying the specimens,robotically delivering the microscope slides from the drying station to a staining station;
delivering stains onto the microscope slides, carrying the at least partially dried specimens, using the staining station;
robotically transporting the microscope slides from the staining station to a cover-slipping station; and
robotically placing coverslips on the microscope slides using the cover-slipping station.
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Abstract
A slide processing apparatus controls the temperature and orientation of a microscope slide carrying one or more specimens. The apparatus heats the specimen-bearing microscope slide while the slide is oriented to both facilitate adhesion between the specimens and the slide and control movement of the specimens relative to the microscope slide. A slide dryer of the apparatus conductively heats the specimens using a conductive slide heater that physically engages the microscope slide.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for processing microscope slides carrying specimens, the method comprising:
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robotically delivering the microscope slides to a drying station, the microscope slides carrying transfer liquid and the specimens, which include tissue sections; moving the microscope slides within the drying station such that the microscopic slides are positioned at an angle of inclination to promote draining of the transfer liquid from the microscope slides; heating the microscope slides held at the angle of inclination such that a temperature along each of the microscope slides is higher than about 50 degrees Celsius to at least partially dry specimens carried by the microscope slides; after at least partially drying the specimens, robotically delivering the microscope slides from the drying station to a staining station; delivering stains onto the microscope slides, carrying the at least partially dried specimens, using the staining station; robotically transporting the microscope slides from the staining station to a cover-slipping station; and robotically placing coverslips on the microscope slides using the cover-slipping station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for processing a microscope slide carrying a specimen, the method comprising:
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robotically delivering the microscope slide, which is carrying the specimen that is wet, to a drying station with a slide heater configured to heat the specimen to a temperature higher than 50 degrees Celsius; heating the specimen while the microscope slide is within the drying station and held at a substantially vertical orientation; robotically delivering the microscope slide to a processing station after the drying station has dried at least a portion of the specimen to promote adhesion of the specimen to the microscope slide; and dispensing one or more fluids using the processing station such that the one or more fluids contact the specimen carried by the microscope slide. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for processing specimen-bearing microscope slides, the method comprising:
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robotically delivering microscope slides to a drying station; moving the microscope slides using the drying station to position the microscope slides at an inclined position; heating the microscope slides held at the inclined position such that a temperature along the microscope slides is higher than about 50 degrees Celsius; after at least partially drying specimens carried by the microscope slides, robotically delivering the microscope slides to a staining station; and starting a staining protocol that includes robotically delivering stains onto the microscope slides using the staining station to stain the at least partially dried specimens. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for processing specimen-bearing microscope slides, the method comprising:
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robotically positioning the microscope slides at an inclined position; heating the microscope slides held at the inclined position such that a temperature along the microscope slides is higher than about 50 degrees Celsius; after heating the microscope slides to at least partially dry specimens on the microscope slides, robotically moving the microscope slides to staining positions; and robotically delivering stains onto the microscope slides to stain the at least partially dried specimens. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification