Clamshell slide holder

• US 20040223890A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Summers, Douglas G., Tsai, George P.
• Application Number:
  US10/434,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20040223890A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/104
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/043 Hinged closures
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

A clam shell slide holder for mounting and retaining a slide. The clamshell slide holder includes a single contiguous base and a lid attached to the base. The base of the clamshell slide holder includes a first slide holder, second slide holder adjacent to the first slide holder, a third slide holder, and a fourth slide holder adjacent to the third slide holder. The lid includes at least one spring finger for contacting the slide. Also disclosed is a method of reading and mounting a slide in a clamshell slide holder.

Claims

1. A clamshell slide holder for holding a slide, comprising:

(a) a single contiguous base for mounting and holding the slide; and

(b) a lid mounted on the base for closing the clamshell slide holder and securing the slide in a fixed position.

2. A clamshell slide holder as recite in claim 1, wherein the base further comprises at least one slide support for mounting the slide.

3. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a first slide support, a second slide support adjacent to the first slide support, a third slide support, and a fourth slide support adjacent to the third slide support, each slide support designed for receiving and supporting a slide positioned in the base without causing bowing of the slide.

4. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 1, wherein the lid further comprises at least one spring finger for securing a slide.

5. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 1, wherein the lid further comprises a first spring finger, a second spring finger adjacent to the first spring finger, a third spring finder and a fourth spring finger adjacent to the third spring finger for securing a slide.

6. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 3, wherein the slide supports are positioned such that they can receive and retain a slide having an area of no more than 200 cm².

7. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one slide support further comprises one raised reference surface.

8. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 7, wherein the raised reference surface is from 1.0 to 3.0 millimeters in width.

9. A clamshell slider holder as recited in claim 7, wherein the raised reference surface is 2.5 millimeters in width.

10. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 3, wherein the slide is self positioning.

11. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a channel for holding a slide.

12. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 11, wherein the channel is no wider than 100 millimeters.

13. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 1, wherein the slide comprises an array of biopolymers on at least one surface.

14. A clamshell slide holder as recited in claim 1, further comprising a hinge for rotatably mounting the lid to the base.

15. A method of mounting a slide in a slide holder, comprising:

(a) positioning a slide on at least one slide support with an raised reference surface to raise the slide off of the slide support;

(b) contacting the slide with a lid having at least one spring finger to self position the slide; and

(c) sliding the lid into a locked position to fix and retain the slide.

16. A method of mounting a slide in a clamshell slide holder, comprising:

(a) positioning a slide on at least one slide support with an raised reference surface to raise the slide off of the slide support;

(b) contacting the slide with a lid having at least one spring finger to position the slide; and

(c) sliding the lid into a locked position to fix and retain the slide.

17. A method of reading an array of moieties, comprising:

(a) mounting the slide in a clamshell slide holder; and

(b) inserting the clamshell slide holder into an array reader and reading the array.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the moieties are polynucleotides of different sequences.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the moieties are DNA of different sequences.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein the array is read through the front side of the slide.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the array reading comprises directing a light beam through the slide from the front side and onto the array, and detecting a resulting signal from the array which has passed through the slide and out the slide front side.