Methods and apparatuses for detecting microscope slide coverslips
First Claim
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1. An automated microscope processing apparatus, comprising:
- a processing station configured to robotically apply liquid to specimen-bearing microscope slides, wherein the processing station has one or more nozzles configured to robotically apply the liquid onto the specimen-bearing microscope slides; and
a coverslip detector includinga coverslip holder mechanism for holding a coverslip, wherein the coverslip holder mechanism is selected from a group consisting of a coverslip holder vacuum mechanism and a coverslip holder mechanical mechanism,an anti-reflective optical element positioned along the coverslip holder mechanism,a reflectance sensor including a light source configured to output light towards the anti-reflective optical element and a light detector configured to detect the outputted light, which has been reflected by any coverslips carried by the coverslip holder mechanism, anda controller communicatively coupled to the reflectance sensor and programmed to determine whether the coverslip holder mechanism is carrying more than one coverslip based on one or more signals from the reflectance sensor indicative of the detected light.
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Abstract
A system is capable of detecting substrates and can differentiate between zero, one, or multiple transparent or semi-transparent substrates in a stack. The system can include an optical sensor, an optically anti-reflective element, and a detector. The optical sensor outputs light towards the optically anti-reflective element. The light detector is positioned to detect light from the light source that is reflected by substrates, if any, positioned within a detection zone between the optically anti-reflective element and the detector.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An automated microscope processing apparatus, comprising:
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a processing station configured to robotically apply liquid to specimen-bearing microscope slides, wherein the processing station has one or more nozzles configured to robotically apply the liquid onto the specimen-bearing microscope slides; and a coverslip detector including a coverslip holder mechanism for holding a coverslip, wherein the coverslip holder mechanism is selected from a group consisting of a coverslip holder vacuum mechanism and a coverslip holder mechanical mechanism, an anti-reflective optical element positioned along the coverslip holder mechanism, a reflectance sensor including a light source configured to output light towards the anti-reflective optical element and a light detector configured to detect the outputted light, which has been reflected by any coverslips carried by the coverslip holder mechanism, and a controller communicatively coupled to the reflectance sensor and programmed to determine whether the coverslip holder mechanism is carrying more than one coverslip based on one or more signals from the reflectance sensor indicative of the detected light. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A coverslip detector for detecting microscope slide coverslips, the coverslip detector comprising:
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a coverslip holder mechanism for holding a microscope slide coverslip, the coverslip holder mechanism is a coverslip holder vacuum mechanism or a coverslip holder mechanical mechanism, an anti-reflective optical element positioned along the coverslip holder mechanism; a reflectance sensor including a light source configured to output light towards the anti-reflective optical element, the reflectance sensor including a light detector configured to detect the outputted light that has been reflected by any microscope slide coverslips carried by the coverslip holder mechanism and positioned between the reflectance sensor and the anti-reflective optical element; and a controller communicatively coupled to the reflectance sensor and including one or more processors and non-transitory, computer readable media with instructions, executable by the one or more processors, to determine if the coverslip holder mechanism is carrying more than one microscope slide coverslip based on one or more signals from the reflectance sensor indicative of the detected light. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 26)
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15. A coverslip detector for detecting microscope slide coverslips, the coverslip detector comprising:
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a coverslip holder mechanism for holding a microscope slide coverslip, wherein the coverslip holder mechanism is a coverslip holder vacuum mechanism or a coverslip holder mechanical mechanism; an anti-reflective optical element positioned along the coverslip holder mechanism; a photoelectric sensor that outputs light toward the anti-reflective optical element, the photoelectric sensor is positioned to detect the outputted light that has been reflected by each microscope slide coverslip carried by the coverslip holder mechanism; and a controller communicatively coupled to the photoelectric sensor and including one or more processors and non-transitory, computer readable memory with programming for determining if the coverslip holder mechanism is holding more than one microscope slide coverslip based on the detection of the reflected light. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification