Integral centrifuge tube and specimen slide
First Claim
1. An integral centrifuge tube and specimen slide comprising:
- a tubular member portion and a hollow slide member portion integrally joined together at a transverse juncture line with a transition region between the two portions in which the tubular member portion reduces in size and changes shape to merge with the slide member portion;
the tubular member portion having a proximal end with an opening therein for the admission of fluid samples, a distal end at said juncture line, and a generally cylindrical side wall with front and rearward sides having a predetermined thickness and tapering slightly from said proximal end at a predetermined conical angle;
the hollow slide member portion having opposed upper and lower walls and a pair of side walls all having predetermined thicknesses;
said tubular member portion further having a first planar surface extending along the rearward side thereof and having a predetermined thickness, and a second planar surface extending along the front side of the tubular member portion from the juncture line to a point near the midpoint of the tubular member portion and intersecting the tubular member portion along a curved line of intersection, said second planar surface being joined with the cylindrical side wall of the tubular member portion along the line of intersection therewith, said second planar surface having a wall thickness approximately equal to the predetermined side wall thickness of said tubular member portion except in said transition region where the wall thickness of said second planar surface diminishes to a thickness equal to said predetermined thickness of the upper wall of the slide member portion.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for use in a centrifuge to automatically prepare microscope slide specimens from samples of body fluids. A centrifuge tube and specimen slide are formed integrally in a unitary device. A lens clearance section is provided as a planar surface to avoid interference between the device and the rotatable lenses of a turret microscope while the device is in viewing position on the microscope stage. The device is constructed to minimize packing of sediment and other constituent elements of the sample at the entrance to the slide member and is so configured as to admit of a step during the centrifuge process which flexes the slide member to enhance the distribution of cells deposited therein.
47 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An integral centrifuge tube and specimen slide comprising:
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a tubular member portion and a hollow slide member portion integrally joined together at a transverse juncture line with a transition region between the two portions in which the tubular member portion reduces in size and changes shape to merge with the slide member portion; the tubular member portion having a proximal end with an opening therein for the admission of fluid samples, a distal end at said juncture line, and a generally cylindrical side wall with front and rearward sides having a predetermined thickness and tapering slightly from said proximal end at a predetermined conical angle; the hollow slide member portion having opposed upper and lower walls and a pair of side walls all having predetermined thicknesses; said tubular member portion further having a first planar surface extending along the rearward side thereof and having a predetermined thickness, and a second planar surface extending along the front side of the tubular member portion from the juncture line to a point near the midpoint of the tubular member portion and intersecting the tubular member portion along a curved line of intersection, said second planar surface being joined with the cylindrical side wall of the tubular member portion along the line of intersection therewith, said second planar surface having a wall thickness approximately equal to the predetermined side wall thickness of said tubular member portion except in said transition region where the wall thickness of said second planar surface diminishes to a thickness equal to said predetermined thickness of the upper wall of the slide member portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22)
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16. In an integral specimen collection tube and microscope slide device which comprises in combination:
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a tube member portion having means defining an entrance opening at a proximal end and an exit opening at a distal end, said tube member portion having a generally cylindrical side wall of a predetermined thickness with a first flat planar surface extending along a rear side thereof; a slide member potion joined to the tube member portion at said distal end and extending longitudinally beyond the tube member portion to a closed terminal end of the device, the slide member portion comprising flat, optically transparent, opposed parallel upper and lower walls and side walls of a predetermined thickness defining a chamber for receiving and displaying a specimen for viewing through a microscope having a slide supporting stage; and a lens clearance section comprising means defining a reduced cross-section of the tube member portion which extends from the slide member portion to a point on the cylindrical side wall of the tube member portion remote from the slide member portion; the improvement comprising; a second flat planar surface extending from a juncture line between the tube member portion and the slide member portion along the upper wall of said slide member portion and converging at a first selected convergence angle with the rear side first flat planar surface, said second planar surface having a wall thickness through a major portion thereof which is generally equal to the predetermined thickness of the cylindrical side wall of the tube member portion, said second planar surface wall thickness diminishing in a region adjacent said juncture line to match the thickness of the upper wall of the slide member portion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification