Specimen preparation apparatus, specimen preparation/analysis system and specimen plate

• US 20060029519A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Inventors: Nakaya, Masanori, Higuchi, Hideyuki, Kobayashi, Eisuke, Hyousa, Yoshihiro, Kitagawa, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,875,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]

Abstract

Provided is a specimen preparation apparatus capable of supplying a specimen from the specimen preparation apparatus to a specimen analyzer without burdening an operator. This specimen preparation apparatus comprises a stained specimen preparation part for preparing a specimen on a slide glass and staining the specimen, a keeping part for storing the stained specimen slide glass prepared in the stained specimen preparation part and a control part for deciding whether to supply the stained specimen slide glass to the keeping part or to the external apparatus.

Claims

1. A specimen preparation apparatus capable of preparing a specimen on a slide glass, staining said specimen and supplying the stained specimen slide glass formed with stained said specimen to an external apparatus, comprising:

a stained specimen preparation part for preparing said specimen on said slide glass and staining said specimen;

a keeping part for storing said stained specimen slide glass prepared in said stained specimen preparation part; and

a control part for deciding whether to supply said stained specimen slide glass to said keeping part or to said external apparatus.

2. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transport part for supplying said stained specimen slide glass to said keeping part or said external apparatus.

3. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control part acquires specimen information from a computer communicably connected with said specimen preparation apparatus for deciding the destination of said stained specimen slide glass on the basis of acquired said specimen information.

4. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said control part has a memory storing a specimen preparation condition corresponding to said specimen information for selecting corresponding said specimen preparation condition on the basis of acquired said specimen information and preparing said specimen on said slide glass on the basis of selected said specimen preparation condition.

5. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said control part controls said specimen preparation apparatus to supply said stained specimen slide glass to said keeping part when said specimen information is an instruction for preparing a visually observed specimen, and supplies said stained specimen slide glass to said external apparatus when said specimen information is an instruction for preparing a specimen for a specimen analyzer.

6. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said external apparatus is either a sample analyzer for analyzing said stained specimen on said stained specimen slide glass or a feeder for supplying said stained specimen slide glass to said sample analyzer.

7. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a printing part for printing said specimen information on a prescribed position of said slide glass.

8. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said control part controls said stained specimen preparation part to prepare a stained specimen slide glass for a visually observed specimen on the basis of a specimen preparation condition for said visually observed specimen and prepare a stained specimen slide glass for an analyzed specimen on the basis of a specimen preparation condition for said analyzed specimen when said specimen information is an instruction for preparing said visually observed specimen and said analyzed specimen.

9. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 1, storing said stained specimen slide glass in said keeping part and supplying said stained specimen slide glass to said external apparatus in a state stored in a cassette.

10. The specimen preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said stained specimen preparation part includes a specimen preparation part for preparing said specimen on said slide glass and a staining part for staining said specimen.

11. A specimen preparation/analysis system comprising:

specimen preparation means for preparing a stained specimen slide glass by preparing a specimen on a slide glass and staining said specimen;

specimen analysis means for analyzing said stained specimen slide glass; and

specimen keeping/supply means having a first keeping part for keeping said stained specimen slide glass prepared in said specimen preparation means and a supply part for supplying said stained specimen slide glass to said specimen analysis means.

12. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 11, wherein

said specimen preparation means has a second keeping part for keeping said stained specimen slide glass,

said specimen preparation/analysis system further comprising a computer having specimen information for deciding whether to keep said stained specimen slide glass in said second keeping part or to supply said stained specimen slide glass to said specimen keeping/supply means.

13. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 12, wherein

said specimen preparation means decides the keeper or the destination of said stained specimen slide glass on the basis of said specimen information acquired from said computer.

14. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 12, wherein

said specimen preparation means has a specimen preparation condition corresponding to said specimen information acquired from said computer, and prepares said specimen on said slide glass on the basis of said specimen preparation condition.

15. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 14, wherein

said specimen preparation means keeps said stained specimen slide glass in said second keeping part when said specimen information is an instruction for preparing a visually observed specimen, and supplies said stained specimen slide glass to said specimen keeping/supply means when said specimen information is an instruction for preparing a specimen for said specimen analysis means.

16. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 12, wherein

said specimen preparation means has a printing part for printing said specimen information on a prescribed position of said slide glass.

17. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 14, wherein

said specimen preparation means prepares a stained specimen slide glass for a visually observed specimen and a stained specimen slide glass for specimen analysis from the same sample on the basis of a visually observed specimen preparation condition and an analyzed specimen preparation condition respectively when said specimen information is an instruction for preparing two specimens.

18. A specimen preparation/analysis system comprising:

a specimen preparation apparatus for preparing a stained specimen slide glass by preparing a specimen on a slide glass and staining said specimen; and

a sample analyzer including analysis means for analyzing said stained specimen slide glass prepared in said specimen preparation apparatus, identification information detection means detecting identification information provided in said stained specimen slide glass and analysis control means controlling said analysis means on the basis of detected said identification information.

19. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 18, wherein

said analysis control means controls whether or not to analyze said stained specimen slide glass with said analysis means on the basis of detected said identification information.

20. The specimen preparation/analysis system according to claim 18, wherein

said analysis control means is connectable through a network to a specimen information management device storing specimen information including said identification information for acquiring said specimen information corresponding said identification information detected by said identification information detection means from said specimen information management device and controlling said analysis means on the basis of acquired said specimen information.

21. A specimen plate comprising:

a specimen preparation area for preparing a specimen; and

an information display area for displaying specimen-related information, wherein

said information display area includes a first display area displaying a bar code bidirectionally holding said specimen-related information in horizontal and vertical directions in plan view and a second display area displaying said specimen-related information in a visually recognizable format.

22. The specimen plate according to claim 21, wherein

said information display area is arranged on a region closer to one end of said specimen plate along the longitudinal direction, and

said first display area and said second display area are arranged to be adjacent to each other along the shorter direction of said specimen plate.

23. The specimen plate according to claim 22, wherein

said bar code has a substantially square shape in plan view.

24. The specimen plate according to claim 23, wherein

said second display area is divided into a plurality of display areas.

25. The specimen plate according to claim 24, wherein

said plurality of display areas obtained by dividing said second display area are arranged to be adjacent to each other along the longitudinal direction of said specimen plate.

26. The specimen plate according to claim 25, wherein

said plurality of display areas obtained by dividing said second display area extend in the shorter direction of said specimen plate respectively.

27. The specimen plate according to claim 24, wherein

said plurality of display areas obtained by dividing said second display area display text data respectively.

28. The specimen plate according to claim 24, wherein

the lengths of said first display area and said second display area of said specimen plate along the longitudinal direction are substantially equal to each other.

29. The specimen plate according to claim 24, wherein

said plurality of display areas obtained by dividing said second display area display different types of said specimen-related information respectively.

30. The specimen plate according to claim 21, wherein

a printable film is formed on the upper surface of said information display area, and

said specimen-related information is printed on said printable film.

31. The specimen plate according to claim 30, wherein

said specimen preparation area and said information display area are arranged to be adjacent to each other along the longitudinal direction of said specimen plate, and

said printable film is formed to extend from said information display area along the longitudinal direction of said specimen plate for holding said specimen preparation area.

32. The specimen plate according to claim 21, wherein

said specimen-related information of said information display area including said first display area and said second display area is printed on a label, and

said label printed with said specimen-related information is attached to the upper surface of said information display area.